Convenient business service spurs startups in Zhuhai

Zhuhai was the fifth easiest place in Guangdong Province to establish an enterprise in 2017, according to the provincial Administration for Industry & Commerce. The ranking is an acknowledgement of the city's commercial system reform and an inspiration towards even greater convenience and efficiency in business service.

According to the assessment report, it now takes on average 12.6 days to establish an enterprise in Zhuhai. The process involves five government departments and two social institutions including the Zhuhai bureau of commerce, taxation, local public security, and the People's Bank.

Zhuhai implements the One License One Social Credit Code system.

The city is targeting a reduction of the time to two days by the end of 2018. That limit would require commercial registration to be completed in one day, creation of a commercial stamp in half a day, and approval of invoice-issuing capacity in a second half day.

The city has prepared a draft implementation plan for optimizing the business registration and start-up environment. Officials are researching and discussing feasibility.

In May 2017, the Zhuhai government reviewed and approved Interim Measures for the Whole Process of One License One Social Credit Code Electronic Registration of Zhuhai Commercial Subjects.

Highly-efficient government service has saved much time of market players.  [Photos courtesy zhuhai.gov.cn]

According to that document, enterprises are not required to apply for an Organization Code Certificate, Tax Registration Certificate, Social Security Registration Certificate, or Statistics Registration Certificate at different departments; they need only apply for  local business registration. Applicants will be issued a unified business license with a unified social credit code, a procedure which reduces institutional costs for market entities and stimulates market vitality.

Convenient government service coupled with supportive policy treatment has resulted in roaring enthusiasm for entrepreneurship. Statistics show that last year 48,100 new market entities were registered, a staggering year-on-year increase of 16.69 percent. The number of commercial subjects was 140,000 in 2013, before the commercial system reforms. It had nearly doubled to 289,500 by the end of 2017.