Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Promoting High-quality Development of Trade in Services through High-level Opening-up

Guobanfa [2024] No. 44

People's Governments of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, and all ministries, commissions, and directly affiliated institutions of the State Council:
Service trade is an important part of international trade and an important field of international economic and trade cooperation, and plays an important role in building a new development pattern. Accelerating the development of service trade is an inevitable requirement for expanding high-level opening up and cultivating new momentum for foreign trade development. In order to innovate and enhance service trade, promote high-quality development of service trade with high-level opening up, and accelerate the construction of a strong trading nation, with the approval of the State Council, the following opinions are hereby put forward.
I. General requirements
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 20th Central Committee, fully and accurately implement the new development concept, accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, focus on promoting high-quality development, coordinate development and security, promote inclusive development with service opening up, promote linkage and integration with service cooperation, cultivate development momentum with service innovation, create a better future with service sharing, accelerate the process of digitalization, intelligence, and greening of service trade, promote the growth of service trade scale, structural optimization, efficiency improvement, and strength enhancement, and make greater contributions to building a new open economic system with a higher level and solidly promoting Chinese-style modernization.
II. Promote the institutional opening of trade in services
(I) Establish and improve the negative list management system for cross-border trade in services. Fully implement the negative list for cross-border trade in services, establish a corresponding management system, and manage cross-border trade in services outside the negative list in accordance with the principle of equal treatment of domestic and foreign services and service providers. Strengthen the connection between various administrative approvals, licenses, filings and other matters and the negative list for cross-border trade in services, and timely adjust the laws, regulations and normative documents that are inconsistent with the negative list. Improve the management capacity of the negative list, strengthen the supervision of key industries, and optimize the supervision of cross-border flows of factors such as funds, technology, personnel and data. Establish a risk assessment, early warning and prevention and control mechanism for major opening-up measures in the service trade field, and strengthen risk monitoring in key sensitive areas. Study and build a national cross-border trade in services information platform that is compatible with the negative list management, and strengthen information sharing among departments.
(II) Give full play to the leading role of the opening-up platform. Expand autonomous opening-up, deeply explore the "top-down" and "bottom-up" opening-up paths, give full play to the opening-up and pressure testing role of the free trade pilot zones and Hainan Free Trade Port, and steadily promote the gradient opening-up of cross-border trade in services across the country. Build a national service trade innovation and development demonstration zone, intensify exploration efforts in cross-border service trade market access, improve cross-border service trade full-chain supervision, establish risk management and monitoring and early warning mechanisms, and create a comprehensive reform and opening-up platform for service trade and a high-quality development highland.
(III) Strengthen rule docking and regulatory coordination. Implement the service trade opening commitments and related rules in regional economic and trade arrangements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) with high quality, actively connect with international high-standard economic and trade rules such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (CPTPP), and deepen domestic service trade reforms. Refer to the World Trade Organization's "Reference Document on Domestic Regulation of Trade in Services" to standardize service sector licenses, qualifications and technical standards, simplify licensing approval procedures, improve regulatory policy transparency, and reduce cross-border service trade costs. Study and carry out service provider certification.
(IV) Improve the standardization level of service trade. Implement the service trade standardization action plan and accelerate the formulation of service trade standards. Carry out the internationalization of service trade standards and encourage the use of international common standards in qualified fields.
III. Promote the cross-border flow of resource elements
(V) Facilitate the cross-border flow of professional talents. Provide convenience for the entry and exit of managers, technical personnel and their accompanying family members of foreign-invested enterprises. Provide entry and exit convenience such as visa and residence permit for high-level foreign talents and their scientific research assistants to invest, start businesses, work, give lectures, and engage in economic and trade exchanges in China. Smooth the channels for high-level foreign talents to start businesses in China, and allow overseas professionals to obtain domestic professional qualifications and employment opportunities in specific open fields in accordance with relevant requirements. Support places with conditions to establish and improve the list of recognized overseas professional qualification certificates, and expand the pilot program of international mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
(VI) Optimize the management of cross-border capital flows. Improve foreign exchange management measures, explore hierarchical management based on corporate credit, and improve the convenience of foreign exchange business for service trade and outbound investment in the service sector. Expand the cross-border use of RMB in the service trade sector, and support the development of RMB cross-border trade financing and refinancing business.
(VII) Promote the transaction and application of technological achievements. Improve the management and promotion system of technology trade, create an innovative resource docking platform, expand the international technology cooperation network, promote the international operation of intellectual property rights, and facilitate the cross-border transfer of technology from R&D centers. Standardize the exploration of promoting the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements through intellectual property securitization, technology insurance and other means. Commercial banks are encouraged to adopt financing methods such as intellectual property pledge and expected income pledge to promote the transformation and transaction of technological achievements.
(VIII) Promote efficient, convenient and safe cross-border data flow. Open dedicated channels for international Internet data in qualified regions. Support the establishment of an efficient, convenient and safe cross-border data flow mechanism under the framework of the national data cross-border transmission security management system, efficiently carry out security assessments of important data and personal information outbound, and optimize the digital development environment of service trade.
IV. Promote innovation and development in key areas
(IX) Enhance international transportation service capabilities. Support domestic shipping companies to open new routes and improve the international shipping service network. Promote the digitalization of shipping trade and expand the application of electronic cargo release and electronic bills of lading in the field of port shipping. Optimize the layout of international air transport and strengthen the support of the international air cargo network for the industrial chain and supply chain. Further improve the allocation efficiency of international passenger rights and time resources, and strengthen the connection between air transport capacity and inbound and outbound tourism supply and demand. Build an international logistics service system and improve the level of cross-border delivery services and the integrated service capabilities of the international supply chain.
(X) Enhance the international competitiveness of travel services. Actively develop inbound tourism, optimize visa and customs clearance policies, and improve the level of visa facilitation. Improve the convenience of foreigners and residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan using electronic payment, as well as booking scenic spot tickets and purchasing car (ship) tickets with valid documents, and provide diversified payment services for overseas tourists in public places such as hotels, tourist attractions, and supermarkets. Implement policies and measures to facilitate foreigners' accommodation in China.
(XI) Support the development of professional service trade. Expand the export of characteristic services, promote the agglomeration and development of service trade such as intellectual property, geographic information, and human resources, support professional service institutions such as finance, consulting, design, certification and accreditation, law, mediation, arbitration, accounting, language, supply chain, and standardization to improve their international service capabilities, and cultivate new growth points for service trade. Develop agricultural service trade and drive the export of agricultural materials, agricultural machinery, and agricultural technology. Accelerate the development of education service trade, expand cooperation with world-renowned universities, and carry out high-level cooperative education in China. Accelerate the high-end development of service outsourcing, vigorously develop biomedical R&D outsourcing and digital manufacturing outsourcing, support new service outsourcing models such as cloud outsourcing and platform subcontracting, and further drive the employment of key groups such as college graduates.
(XII) Encourage the export of traditional advantageous services. Further improve policy measures to support the high-quality development of cultural trade. Promote the export of sports services such as Chinese martial arts and Go. Promote the healthy development of trade in traditional Chinese medicine services, and actively develop "Internet ' trade in traditional Chinese medicine services". Support well-known catering companies such as Chinese time-honored brands to carry out international operations of Chinese food brands and enhance the international influence of Chinese catering culture. Actively use digital technology, artificial intelligence and other innovative service supply to enhance the international competitiveness of the service industry.
(XIII) Promote the integrated development of trade in services and trade in goods. Optimize the bonded supervision model, and support various regions to carry out "two-end-out" research and development, testing, maintenance, storage and display of cultural relics and cultural artworks based on comprehensive bonded areas. Promote the integrated development of trade in services and high-end manufacturing, and introduce special policy measures in the fields of biomedicine, aircraft, automobiles, engineering machinery, etc., to support manufacturing enterprises to provide internationally competitive professional and comprehensive services.
(XIV) Expand the import of high-quality services. Revise the catalogue of services encouraged for import and expand the import of productive services urgently needed in China. Focus on the needs of residents' consumption upgrades and promote the import of high-quality life services such as medical health, culture and entertainment. Introduce international high-quality events in qualified regions, hold foreign-related film screenings and exchange and cooperation activities, further enrich market supply, and promote the quality development of life service industry.
(15) Assist green and low-carbon development. Vigorously develop green technology and green service trade, and study and formulate a guidance catalog for green service import and export. Encourage the import of technologies and services such as energy conservation and carbon reduction, environmental protection, and ecological governance that are urgently needed in China, and expand the export of green energy-saving technologies and services. Strengthen international cooperation in green technology and build a cooperation platform between enterprises.
V. Expand international market layout
(16) Deepen international cooperation in service trade. Implement the Global Partner Network Plan for Service Trade, consolidate key partners, and actively explore emerging markets. Strengthen service trade and digital trade cooperation with countries participating in the construction of the "Belt and Road", further expand cooperation areas under the mechanisms of BRICS countries and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and expand multilateral and regional cooperation in service trade. Guide the use of local resource advantages and support qualified regions to build international cooperation parks for service trade.
(17) Establish and improve a service trade promotion system. Encourage all regions to establish and improve mechanisms to promote the development of service trade. Strengthen the capacity building of service trade intermediary organizations, give full play to the role of overseas institutions, improve the overseas trade promotion network, and enhance the level of overseas services. Improve the functions of international commercial dispute prevention and resolution organizations, and improve the overseas intellectual property rights protection assistance mechanism. Support cities with conditions to build legal service centers and international commercial arbitration centers. Give full play to the role of important exhibition platforms such as the China International Fair for Trade in Services, continuously enhance the visibility and influence of the exhibition, promote the construction of a market-oriented exhibition pattern of service trade with leading, distinctive and scientific development, and support enterprises to hold exhibitions and participate in exhibitions overseas.
VI. Improve the support system
(XVIII) Innovate support policies and measures. Make full use of existing central and local funding channels and relevant funds such as the Service Trade Innovation and Development Guidance Fund, innovate support methods, and promote the development of service trade. Broaden corporate financing channels and encourage financial institutions to launch financial services that adapt to the characteristics of service trade. Optimize export credit, use diversified financial tools such as trade finance and equity investment to increase support for enterprises to explore the international service trade market. Increase support for export credit insurance, expand the coverage of service trade, appropriately optimize underwriting methods for qualified small and medium-sized enterprises, and improve the level of insurance service convenience. Implement the current relevant tax policies such as zero tax rate or tax exemption for service export VAT. Support colleges and universities to strengthen the construction of disciplines and majors related to service trade, promote the construction of service trade think tanks, and strengthen the training of professional talents in service trade.
(19) Improve the level of statistical monitoring. Revise and improve the international service trade statistical monitoring system, and improve the full-caliber statistical methods of service trade. Promote data exchange and information sharing among departments, and improve the service trade statistical monitoring system and the contact system for key enterprises. Study the establishment of a service trade statistical database and improve the public service level of service trade statistical data.
(20) Strengthen regional cooperation in service trade. Give full play to the regional advantages of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Chengdu-Chongqing Twin Cities Economic Circle, and build a regional service trade development public platform. Enhance the leading role of the eastern region and cultivate a number of benchmark cities for service trade. Support the construction of a multi-level inland open platform in the central, western and northeastern regions to promote the innovative development of advantageous and characteristic service trade. Encourage the establishment of a cross-regional cooperation mechanism for service trade to promote the efficient and reasonable flow of resource elements such as capital, talents, technology and data.
All regions and relevant departments should fully understand the importance of vigorously developing service trade from a holistic and strategic perspective, rely on expanding opening up and innovation-driven development to stimulate new momentum for the development of service trade, and implement this opinion. All regions should actively cultivate characteristic and advantageous industries in service trade in light of local conditions. All relevant departments should strengthen coordination and cooperation, sort out and solve problems in the service trade field, improve policies related to the development of service trade, and support the promotion of major reforms. The Ministry of Commerce should strengthen overall coordination, improve the working mechanism, ensure that various policies and measures are issued in a timely manner and implemented, and actively create an environment for the development of service trade that expands opening up, encourages innovation, fair competition, and is standardized and orderly. Important matters should be reported to the Party Central Committee and the State Council in a timely manner.
General Office of the State Council

August 28, 2024