China releases shortened unified negative list for market access

BEIJING - China has cut the number of sectors and businesses that are off-limits for both domestic and foreign investors in its 2019 negative list for market access, the country's central authorities said Friday.

The shortened list contains 131 administrative measures on investment, down 20 administrative measures or 13 percent from the 2018 version released last December, according to the list jointly released by the Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

Among the reduced items, the list eases market access for the establishment of nursing homes and social welfare institutions.

Industries, fields and businesses not on the list are open for investment to all market players.

Unlike the negative list for foreign investment market access released in June, the unified list applies to all market players including both domestic and foreign investors.

The shortened negative list is conducive to making market access management more open and predictable, as well as boosting market vitality, according to the NDRC.