China’s Latest Policy for High-Quality Development in Service Trade
On September 2, 2024, the Chinese government website released the “Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Promoting High-Quality Development of Service Trade with High-Level Openness” (hereinafter referred to as the “Opinions”). The document highlights that service trade is a crucial component of international trade and an essential area of international economic and trade cooperation, playing a significant role in constructing a new development pattern. Accelerating the development of service trade is a necessary requirement to expand high-level openness and cultivate new momentum for foreign trade development. To innovate and enhance service trade and promote its high-quality development through high-level openness, the “Opinions” were formulated, detailing 20 specific measures across five key areas.
- Promote Institutional Openness in Service Trade: Establish and improve the negative list management system for cross-border service trade, leverage the guiding role of external open platforms, enhance rule alignment and regulatory coordination, and improve service trade standardization.
- Facilitate Cross-Border Flow of Resources and Elements: Enhance the ease of cross-border professional talent mobility, optimize cross-border capital flow management, promote the transaction and application of technological achievements, and facilitate the efficient, convenient, and secure cross-border flow of data.
- Advance Innovative Development in Key Areas: Strengthen international transportation service capabilities, enhance the international competitiveness of travel services, support the internationalization of professional services such as finance, consulting, design, and certification, encourage the export of traditionally advantageous services, integrate service trade with goods trade, expand the import of high-quality services, and promote green and low-carbon development.
- Expand International Market Layout: Deepen international cooperation in service trade and establish and improve a service trade promotion system.
- Improve the Support System: Innovate support policies and measures, enhance service trade statistical monitoring levels, and strengthen regional cooperation in service trade.
Among these, promoting institutional openness in service trade involves establishing and improving the negative list management system for cross-border service trade. A comprehensive implementation of the negative list for cross-border service trade is required, with a corresponding management system in place, where cross-border service trade outside the negative list is managed under the principle of equal treatment for domestic and foreign services and service providers.
China Actively Supports Expanding the “Circle of Friends” in Service Trade
Regarding accelerating the development of service trade, Tang Wenhong, Assistant Minister of Commerce, stated at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on August 30 that the country would support regions with suitable conditions to build international cooperation zones for service trade, expand the “circle of friends” in service trade, and orderly promote the gradient opening of cross-border service trade. This means forming a gradient opening pattern across the country, in pilot free trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port, and enhancing the level of openness through innovation.
Simultaneously, support is given to new models of service outsourcing, such as cloud outsourcing and platform outsourcing, to promote the integration of service trade with goods trade. Professional service trade development is encouraged, and professional service institutions such as finance, consulting, design, and certification are supported to enhance their international service capabilities. Efforts are being made to build national demonstration zones for innovative development in service trade and to create hubs for service trade development.
According to data released at the meeting, in the first half of 2024, the scale of China’s service trade reached a new high for the same period in history, with the total import and export of services amounting to 3.6 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 14%. Of this, exports were 1.5 trillion yuan, up 10.7%, and imports were 2.1 trillion yuan, up 16.4%, with both service imports and exports achieving double-digit growth. The proportion of service trade in the total volume of services and goods trade reached 14.5%, an increase of 1 percentage point from the same period last year.
Specifically, traditional services such as travel and transportation grew rapidly. In the first half of the year, the import and export of travel services reached 961.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 47.7%, making it the largest field in service trade. Among them, travel service exports increased by 1.3 times, playing a positive role in promoting international economic and trade cooperation and the prosperity of the domestic consumer market. The import and export of transportation services reached 925.8 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.2%, with transportation service exports growing by 12.3%.
The potential for knowledge-intensive service trade continues to be unleashed. In the first half of the year, the import and export of knowledge-intensive services reached 1.4 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.7%. Among these, royalties for the use of intellectual property increased by 13.8% year-on-year, personal, cultural, and recreational services increased by 13.1% year-on-year, and exports of other business services increased by 7.2% year-on-year.
Tang Wenhong stated that despite the severe and complex situation of international trade development, the development environment is better. This year, the comprehensive implementation of the negative list management system for cross-border service trade and the effective implementation of policy measures will create a favorable environment for the further opening and innovative development of service trade. Overall, the development of service trade throughout the year will be stable and positive, and the structure of service trade will continue to be optimized.
China Fully Implements the Negative List for Cross-Border Service Trade
Regarding the negative list management system for cross-border service trade, at the end of March, the Ministry of Commerce of China released the “Special Administrative Measures (Negative List) for Cross-Border Service Trade” (2024 Edition) and the “Special Administrative Measures (Negative List) for Cross-Border Service Trade in Pilot Free Trade Zones” (2024 Edition), marking China’s first establishment of a negative list management model for cross-border service trade. The “Special Administrative Measures (Negative List) for Cross-Border Service Trade” (2024 Edition) states:
The negative list for cross-border service trade uniformly lists special management measures for foreign service providers in terms of national treatment, market access, local presence, and cross-border trade in financial services (through cross-border delivery, overseas consumption, and movement of natural persons). Cross-border service trade outside the “Negative List for Cross-Border Service Trade” is managed under the principle of equal treatment for domestic and foreign services and service providers.
If foreign service providers provide services through a commercial presence model, the relevant provisions of the “Negative List for Foreign Investment Access” apply. The consistency management measures for domestic and foreign service providers apply to the relevant provisions of the “Negative List for Market Access.” Foreign service providers are not allowed to provide services prohibited by the “Negative List for Cross-Border Service Trade” in a cross-border manner; services in non-prohibited areas within the “Negative List for Cross-Border Service Trade” provided in a cross-border manner are managed according to the corresponding regulations.
Measures not listed in the “Negative List for Cross-Border Service Trade” that relate to national security, public order, financial prudence, social services, biological resources, humanities and social science research and development, cultural new forms, cultural relic protection, air service rights, immigration and employment measures, and government functions are implemented according to current regulations.
Generally, the WTO defines four modes of providing services: cross-border delivery, overseas consumption, commercial presence, and movement of natural persons. Among them, cross-border delivery, overseas consumption, and movement of natural persons involve non-residents providing services to residents, which belong to cross-border service trade. Experts believe that the negative list for cross-border service trade is an important tool for China to further expand the openness of cross-border service trade in the future and to promote high-level institutional openness.
Potential Profound Impact on Vietnam-China Economic and Trade Relations
1.Institutional Openness Promotes Bilateral Cooperation
Establishing and improving the negative list management system for cross-border service trade will provide a more transparent and predictable policy environment for Vietnam-China service trade cooperation. China’s commitment to implementing the principle of equal treatment for domestic and foreign services and service providers in areas outside the negative list may create more opportunities for Vietnamese service providers in the Chinese market. At the same time, China emphasizes the high-quality implementation of service trade liberalization commitments under regional trade arrangements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). As an RCEP member country, Vietnam will benefit from China’s commitments, and service trade cooperation between the two countries under the RCEP framework is expected to deepen further.
2.Facilitation of Cross-Border Flow of Elements
China has proposed several measures to promote the cross-border flow of talents, capital, technology, and data, which may positively impact Vietnam-China service trade. For instance, China’s commitment to providing entry and exit facilitation for foreign high-level talents may attract more Vietnamese professionals to work or start businesses in China; optimizing cross-border capital flow management and expanding the cross-border use of the RMB in service trade may reduce transaction costs in Vietnam-China service trade; promoting the transaction and application of technological achievements may foster technological cooperation and transfer between Vietnam and China; facilitating efficient, convenient, and secure cross-border data flow could help develop digital service trade between Vietnam and China.
3.Opportunities for Development in Key Areas
China has proposed several key development areas in service trade, some of which align closely with Vietnam’s advantages and needs: In international transportation services, China supports the opening of new routes and improving the maritime service network, which may further promote logistics and transportation service trade between Vietnam and China; in travel services, China is actively developing inbound tourism and optimizing visa and customs clearance policies, which may attract more Vietnamese tourists to China and promote the development of tourism service trade between the two countries; in professional services, China supports financial, consulting, legal, and other professional service institutions to enhance their international service capabilities, providing cooperation and learning opportunities for relevant industries in Vietnam; in cultural services, China supports the high-quality development of cultural trade, which may create more opportunities for cultural exchanges and related service trade between Vietnam and China.
4.International Market Cooperation
China has proposed implementing a global partnership network plan for service trade and strengthening service trade cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road. As an important country along the Belt and Road, Vietnam is expected to benefit from China’s strategy, and the cooperation between the two countries in the field of service trade may be further strengthened.
Opportunities and Challenges for Vietnam-China Service Trade
1.Vietnam-China Service Trade
According to the Ministry of Commerce of China, the bilateral trade volume between Vietnam and China was USD 171.9 billion in 2023. Vietnam’s exports to China amounted to USD 61.2 billion, a year-on-year increase of 5.6%, accounting for 17.3% of Vietnam’s total exports, with the number of exported goods receiving preferential certificates of origin ranking first, with a value exceeding USD 19.4 billion. Imports from China amounted to USD 110.6 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 6.6%, accounting for 33.9% of Vietnam’s total imports.
In the first half of 2024, Vietnam-China trade rebounded strongly, with bilateral trade volume approaching USD 95 billion. Vietnam’s imports from China reached USD 67 billion, a year-on-year increase of nearly 35%, while exports amounted to USD 28.7 billion, a year-on-year increase of 5.3%. Vietnam’s trade deficit with China was nearly USD 40 billion, a year-on-year increase of almost 68%. China remains Vietnam’s largest import market, accounting for 37.6% of Vietnam’s total imports in the first half of the year. Imported goods are diverse, including machinery and equipment, electronic components, fabrics, footwear, and textile raw materials.
If this trend continues in the second half of the year, and with the opportunities provided by various bilateral and multilateral trade agreements and the China International Fair for Trade in Services, China International Import Expo, China International Consumer Products Expo, and China-ASEAN Expo in the second half of the year, Vietnam-China trade is expected to reach or even exceed USD 200 billion in 2024.
2.Challenges and Opportunities
Although Vietnam-China service trade is developing rapidly, there are still some challenges: the proportion of service trade in the total bilateral trade volume is still relatively low, about 15% in 2023, below the global average; the structure of service trade is still dominated by traditional services, and the proportion of high-tech and high-value-added services needs to be increased; there are still some obstacles in cross-border service trade regarding regulation, standard alignment, and talent mobility.
At the same time, Vietnam-China service trade also faces many opportunities: especially in the context of China’s comprehensive implementation of the negative list for cross-border service trade, both countries are RCEP members, and regional economic integration creates favorable conditions for the development of service trade; the rapid development of the digital economy provides new growth points for cross-border service trade; the two countries have strong complementarities in tourism, culture, and other fields, with great potential for cooperation; both sides have common needs in green development and digital transformation, creating opportunities for related service trade.
In summary, the opportunities for developing Vietnam-China service trade in the future outweigh the challenges. If you plan to enter the Vietnamese market or want to learn more, please contact our professional consultant Jaycy, and we will provide you with detailed market analysis, investment advice, and comprehensive overseas expansion support services.
Appendix: Special Administrative Measures (Negative List) for Cross-Border Service Trade (2024 Edition)
| No. | Special Administrative Measures |
| I. Agriculture, Forestry, Animal Husbandry, and Fishery | |
| 1 | Without the approval of the Chinese government, foreign individuals and foreign fishing vessels are not allowed to enter waters under China’s jurisdiction to engage in fishery resource survey activities. If there is a treaty or agreement with China, it shall be handled according to the treaty or agreement. |
| II. Construction Industry | |
| 2 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to provide construction and related engineering services. |
| III. Wholesale and Retail Trade | |
| 3 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to sell veterinary drugs, feed, feed additives, or pesticides directly and must set up sales agencies within China or commission qualified Chinese domestic agents to sell. |
| 4 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in the wholesale, retail, import, or export of tobacco leaves, tobacco products (including new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes) domestically. |
| 5 | Foreign individuals are not allowed to apply for the auctioneer qualification examination. |
| IV. Transportation, Storage, and Postal Services | |
| 6 | Foreign service providers are only allowed to engage in international transportation at ports open to foreign vessels; otherwise, they are not allowed to engage in domestic waterway transportation (including towing) or operate domestic waterway transportation through leasing Chinese-flagged vessels or cabin spaces. Domestic waterway transportation operators are not allowed to use foreign-flagged vessels for domestic waterway transportation. However, if there is no Chinese-flagged vessel available to meet the transportation requirements, and the port or waterway where the vessel is docked is an open port or waterway, domestic waterway transportation operators may temporarily use foreign-flagged vessels for transportation with the permission of the Chinese government within the period or voyages specified by the Chinese government. |
| 7 | Foreign-flagged vessels navigating, anchoring, or shifting in marine pilotage areas designated by the Ministry of Transport of China, as well as navigating in inland rivers, must apply for pilotage from Chinese pilotage institutions, except where exemptions are provided by the Ministry of Transport of China with the approval of the State Council. If there is an agreement between China and the country where the ship is registered, the relevant agreement shall be observed first. |
| 8 | Foreign individuals are not allowed to register as pilots (except for Hong Kong individuals registered as pilots working in the waters of Dapeng Bay, Shenzhen). |
| 9 | Foreign service providers must participate in the salvage of sunken ships and objects in coastal waters by signing a joint salvage contract with Chinese salvors. Foreign service providers must prioritize leasing and employing Chinese salvors for the ships, equipment, and labor required to perform the joint salvage contract under the same conditions. |
| 10 | Foreign ship inspection agencies that have not established ship inspection companies in China are not allowed to send personnel or employees to carry out ship inspection activities in China. Certificates, reports, and other documents issued within China are invalid. |
| 11 | Computer reservation system services must not provide cross-border delivery services except in the following ways: (1) Foreign computer reservation systems may provide services to Chinese air transport enterprises and Chinese air agents through agreements with Chinese computer reservation systems; (2) Foreign computer reservation systems may provide services to foreign air transport enterprises with the right to operate under bilateral air agreements and have established representative offices or business offices in cities with air routes in China; (3) The sales agents of Chinese air transport enterprises and foreign air transport enterprises must obtain approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China to directly enter and use foreign computer reservation systems. |
| 12 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in China’s civil aviation air traffic management services, including air traffic control, communication, navigation monitoring, flight information, etc., nor are they allowed to engage in civil aviation air traffic control or aeronautical information training services. |
| 13 | Foreign individuals are not allowed to apply for a civil aviation information officer or civil aviation air traffic controller license. |
| 14 | Foreign pilot schools that conduct pilot license and rating training for Chinese aviation operators and complete training for pilots who return to China to obtain a corresponding Chinese civil aviation pilot license through a simplified procedure must meet the following conditions: (1) The country of origin is a signatory to the International Civil Aviation Convention, and the school has an air operator certificate or similar approval issued by the civil aviation authority of its country of origin; (2) Obtained permission from the Chinese government. |
| 15 | The captain of a Chinese-flagged ship must be a Chinese crew member. |
| 16 | Foreign international road transport operators are not allowed to engage in road transport operations with both the starting and ending points within China. |
| 17 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in domestic express mail business. |
| 18 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to provide postal services. |
| V. Information Transmission, Software, and Information Technology Services | |
| 19 | China implements a licensing system for telecommunications business operations. Companies not lawfully established in China or that have not obtained a telecommunications business license are not allowed to engage in telecommunications business activities. |
| 20 | International communications gateway bureaus not approved and established by the Chinese telecommunications authorities are not allowed to engage in international communications business. Non-state-owned telecommunications business operators are not allowed to apply to set up international communications gateway bureaus or undertake the operation and maintenance of international communications gateway bureaus. Without approval from Chinese telecommunications authorities, international communications gateway bureaus cannot be set up. |
| 21 | Foreign organizations or individuals are not allowed to conduct radio parameter testing or radio monitoring. |
| 22 | Foreign entities providing satellite communication resource leasing services to Chinese entities must comply with China’s satellite radio frequency management regulations and complete satellite radio frequency coordination declared by China. Foreign entities are not allowed to lease satellite communication resources to domestic entities that do not have relevant operational qualifications or have not obtained radio frequency use permits. Foreign satellite companies are not allowed to directly lease satellite transponders to domestic users without Chinese government approval. Non-domestic satellite companies are not allowed to sublease satellite communication resources to domestic user units or be responsible for technical support, market marketing, user services, and user supervision. |
| 23 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in internet news information services, internet religious information services, or internet public information posting services. |
| 24 | Foreign service providers who do not meet the requirements for establishing a commercial presence and related equity ratio requirements are not allowed to provide internet information search services. |
| VI. Financial Industry | |
| 25 | Without the approval of China’s insurance regulatory agency, foreign service providers are not allowed to provide insurance services through cross-border delivery, except for reinsurance, international maritime, air, and transport insurance, large commercial insurance brokerage, international maritime, air, and transport insurance brokerage, and reinsurance brokerage; foreign service providers are not allowed to provide insurance brokerage services through overseas consumption. |
| 26 | Without the approval of China’s banking regulatory agency, foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in business activities of banking financial institutions, financial asset management companies, trust companies, finance companies, financial leasing companies, consumer finance companies, auto finance companies, money brokerage companies, and other financial institutions established with the approval of the Chinese banking regulatory agency through cross-border delivery. |
| 27 | Without approval, foreign service providers are not allowed to provide non-financial institution payment services through cross-border delivery. Foreign institutions are prohibited from engaging in bank card clearing business without approval. Foreign institutions are generally not required to set up bank card clearing institutions domestically if they only provide foreign currency bank card clearing services for cross-border transactions. However, exceptions apply where they significantly impact the stable operation of the domestic bank card clearing system or public payment confidence. |
| 28 | Securities companies not established in China according to Chinese law or without approval are not allowed to engage in the following securities businesses: (1) Securities brokerage; (2) Securities investment consulting; (3) Financial advisory services related to securities trading and investment activities; (4) Securities underwriting and sponsorship; (5) Securities margin trading; (6) Securities market making; (7) Proprietary trading; (8) Other securities businesses. Services provided through overseas consumption and the following services provided through cross-border delivery are not subject to the above restrictions: (1) Foreign securities firms approved to obtain the qualification for foreign shares (B shares) listed on the domestic stock exchange can engage in brokerage business for foreign shares listed on the domestic stock exchange through agency agreements with domestic securities firms or other methods prescribed by the stock exchange; (2) Foreign securities firms approved to obtain the qualification for foreign shares listed on the domestic stock exchange can act as the lead underwriter, co-underwriter, and international coordinator for foreign shares listed on the domestic stock exchange; (3) Qualified domestic institutional investors approved to engage in overseas securities investment business can entrust foreign securities service institutions to act as agents for buying and selling securities; (4) Qualified domestic institutional investors approved to entrust qualified foreign investment advisors to conduct overseas securities investment; (5) Custodians responsible for overseas asset custody business entrusted by trustees must meet legal conditions. |
| 29 | The following circumstances are not allowed to be provided through cross-border delivery: (1) Only fund management companies established under Chinese law or other institutions approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission can serve as the managers of public offering securities investment funds; (2) Only companies or partnerships established in China that meet legal conditions can apply for registration as private equity fund managers; (3) Only commercial banks established under Chinese law and qualified for securities investment fund custody or other financial institutions approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission can serve as custodians of securities investment funds; (4) Qualified foreign institutional investors approved to invest in domestic securities futures must entrust qualified domestic institutions to act as custodians of assets; Qualified domestic institutional investors approved to engage in overseas securities investment business must entrust domestic commercial banks to be responsible for asset custody business; (5) Only institutions established under Chinese law and registered by the China Securities Regulatory Commission and its dispatched agencies that have obtained the qualification for public fund sales business (including public fund managers) can engage in fund sales business; (6) Domestic institutions or individuals not approved or registered are not allowed to engage in the issuance or trading of overseas securities. |
| 30 | Securities firms or other consulting institutions not established according to Chinese law or without approval are not allowed to engage in securities investment consulting business. Except where otherwise specified, individuals without Chinese nationality are not allowed to engage in securities investment consulting business. |
| 31 | Futures companies not established in China according to Chinese law or without approval are not allowed to engage in the following futures businesses: (1) Futures brokerage; (2) Futures trading consulting; (3) Futures market making; (4) Other futures businesses. Only futures companies established under Chinese law can engage in asset management services after filing for registration in accordance with the requirements of China’s futures regulatory agency. |
| 32 | Commercial banks not established in China are not allowed to apply for the qualification of futures margin deposit banks. |
| 33 | Except where otherwise specified, domestic entities or individuals engaging in overseas futures trading must entrust domestic futures firms qualified for overseas futures brokerage business to conduct it; except where otherwise specified, foreign entities or individuals are not allowed to engage in domestic futures trading. |
| 34 | Futures companies or other futures firms not established under Chinese law are not allowed to engage in futures trading consulting business. Except where otherwise specified, individuals without Chinese nationality are not allowed to engage in futures trading consulting business. |
| 35 | Foreign service providers not approved by Chinese financial regulatory authorities and not registered as independent legal entities in China are not allowed to apply to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security to engage in corporate annuity trustee institutions, account managers, custodians, or investment managers. |
| 36 | Foreign enterprises or individuals are not allowed to become ordinary members of securities exchanges. Foreign enterprises or individuals are not allowed to become members of futures exchanges. Except where otherwise specified by the Chinese government, foreign enterprises or individuals are not allowed to apply to open securities accounts or futures accounts. |
| 37 | Foreign futures exchanges and other foreign institutions are not allowed to designate or establish commodity futures delivery warehouses in China or engage in other activities related to commodity futures delivery. |
| 38 | Foreign institutions are not allowed to participate in the interbank foreign exchange market transactions, except in the following situations: (1) Foreign RMB business clearing banks, foreign central bank-type institutions (including foreign central banks (monetary authorities) and other official reserve management institutions, international financial organizations, sovereign wealth funds), and foreign participating banks qualified for RMB purchase and sale business can apply to become foreign members of the Chinese interbank foreign exchange market to participate in interbank foreign exchange market transactions; (2) Foreign institutional investors investing in the Chinese bond market can participate in interbank foreign exchange market transactions through the prime brokerage model. Foreign bank institutional investors can also directly participate in interbank foreign exchange market transactions; (3) Other foreign institutions approved by the People’s Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange can participate in interbank foreign exchange market transactions. |
| 39 | Without approval, foreign credit reporting agencies are not allowed to operate credit reporting business domestically. |
| VII. Leasing and Business Services | |
| 40 | Foreign law firms, foreign organizations, or individuals are not allowed to engage in Chinese legal affairs or provide legal services in China under names other than foreign law firms’ representative offices in China. |
| 41 | Representative offices of foreign law firms in China and their representatives are not allowed to engage in Chinese legal affairs. Foreign law firms’ representative offices in China are not allowed to hire Chinese practicing lawyers; auxiliary personnel employed are not allowed to provide legal services for clients. Representatives and auxiliary personnel of representative offices are not allowed to provide Chinese legal services to clients under the title of “Chinese legal consultant.” Foreign law firms’ representative offices in China and their affiliated foreign law firms are not allowed to send personnel to Chinese law firms to engage in legal services activities. |
| 42 | Foreign organizations or individuals are not allowed to engage in notarization business. The establishment of notary offices is subject to total quantity control. Foreign individuals are not allowed to serve as notaries. |
| 43 | Foreign individuals are not allowed to take the national unified legal professional qualification examination to obtain a legal professional qualification certificate. |
| 44 | Foreign legal persons or other organizations are not allowed to apply to engage in forensic examination business. Foreign individuals are not allowed to apply to engage in forensic examination business. |
| 45 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to provide statutory audit services through means other than commercial presence. Foreign service providers are not allowed to provide bookkeeping services through means other than commercial presence. |
| 46 | Operating entities established outside China, as well as foreign individuals, are not allowed to engage in customs declaration business. |
| 47 | Foreign organizations or individuals are not allowed to conduct market research and social surveys directly or through institutions that have not obtained a foreign-related survey license. |
| 48 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to provide human resources services (including but not limited to talent agency services, employment agency services), nor are they allowed to directly recruit labor personnel in China to work abroad. |
| 49 | Foreign service providers that have not been licensed to establish security service companies in China are not allowed to provide security services. Foreign individuals are not allowed to serve as security personnel to engage in security services. |
| 50 | Without approval, foreign organizations or individuals are not allowed to host international program exchanges or trading activities, nor are they allowed to host Sino-foreign film festivals. |
| 51 | Foreign individuals are not allowed to take the national tour guide qualification examination. |
| VIII. Scientific Research and Technical Services | |
| 52 | Foreign service providers may provide urban planning services other than general planning, but must cooperate with Chinese professional institutions. City design outside statutory planning and preliminary scheme research of statutory planning preparation is not subject to this restriction. |
| 53 | Foreign service providers providing preliminary design (basic design), construction drawing design (detailed design), and engineering and centralized engineering services for construction projects, except for scheme design, must cooperate with Chinese professional institutions. |
| 54 | Foreigners applying to participate in China’s national unified examination for registered architects and registration, as well as foreign architects applying to perform registered architect business, shall be handled on a reciprocal basis. |
| 55 | Without approval, foreign organizations or individuals are not allowed to engage in surveying, meteorology, hydrology, seismology, ecological environment monitoring, marine scientific research, marine environment investigation and measurement, underwater exploration and survey, laying submarine cables and pipelines, natural resource exploration and development, and other activities in Chinese territories and other areas under Chinese jurisdiction. |
| 56 | Foreign individuals are not allowed to apply for the following qualification examinations: (1) Asset appraiser qualification examination; (2) Real estate appraiser professional qualification examination; (3) Mining rights appraiser professional qualification examination; (4) Registered surveyor qualification examination; (5) Registered urban planner professional qualification examination; (6) Registered engineer qualification examination for surveying and design; (7) Registered supervision engineer examination. |
| IX. Education | |
| 57 | Foreign educational service providers are not allowed to independently host educational examinations, except for cooperating with Chinese educational examination institutions to hold non-degree educational examinations for the public. |
| 58 | Foreign individual educational service providers who are not invited or employed by Chinese schools and other educational institutions, do not have a bachelor’s degree or higher, corresponding professional titles or certificates, and two years of professional work experience, are not allowed to enter the country to provide educational services. |
| X. Health and Social Work | |
| 59 | Foreign physicians are not allowed to engage in clinical diagnosis and treatment activities in China without approval. |
| 60 | Foreign individuals are not allowed to apply for the veterinary practice qualification examination, registration, or filing. |
| XI. Culture, Sports, and Entertainment | |
| 61 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in the editing, publishing, and production of books, newspapers, periodicals, audio-visual products, and electronic publications, nor are they allowed to engage in online publishing (including online games) services. China’s commitments upon accession to the WTO are excluded. Cooperation projects involving news publishing between Chinese and foreign news publishing units must be approved by the Chinese government, ensuring China’s operational leadership and final approval rights over content, and complying with other conditions approved by the Chinese government. Cooperation in online publishing service projects between online publishing service units and foreign-invested enterprises or foreign organizations and individuals must be approved by the Chinese government in advance. Without review and approval, foreign service providers are not allowed to reproduce audio-visual products or electronic publications. |
| 62 | Films should be screened according to the time ratio of domestic films to imported films stipulated by the Chinese government. The annual screening duration of domestic films in cinemas must not be less than two-thirds of the total annual screening duration. Foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in film import business. |
| 63 | The main creative personnel of domestic feature films, animated films, science and education films, documentaries, and special films are generally required to be Chinese citizens. For special shooting needs, foreign main creative personnel can be hired upon approval, but foreign leading actors and main supporting actors hired must not exceed one-third of the total number of main actors. For cooperative productions of feature films, animated films, documentaries, and science and education films, foreign main creative personnel can be hired with the approval of the Chinese film regulatory authorities for special shooting needs. Except for countries and regions with specific agreements, the number of foreign leading actors must not exceed two-thirds of the total number of main actors. China implements a licensing system for co-production of films with foreign parties. Domestic legal persons and other organizations that have not obtained approval documents are not allowed to cooperate with foreign organizations in the co-production of films. Without approval, foreign organizations are not allowed to independently shoot films in China. |
| 64 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in online audio-visual program services. The total amount of foreign films and TV dramas specifically introduced for information network dissemination on a single website in a year must not exceed 30% of the total amount of domestic films and TV dramas purchased and broadcast on the website in the previous year. Foreign films, TV dramas, and other audio-visual programs introduced for information network dissemination must be approved by radio and television administrative departments at or above the provincial level. |
| 65 | Foreign films and TV dramas broadcast on radio stations and TV stations must be approved by Chinese radio and television administrative departments. Other foreign radio and television programs broadcast on radio stations and TV stations must be approved by Chinese radio and television administrative departments or authorized agencies. The import and retransmission of foreign radio and television programs via satellite or other transmission methods must be approved by Chinese radio and television administrative departments. China regulates and plans the introduction of foreign TV dramas and other foreign TV programs introduced via satellite transmission. Applications for the introduction of foreign TV dramas and other foreign TV programs by satellite transmission must be submitted by designated units. Broadcasting introduced foreign TV programs must comply with relevant time ratios and time slot arrangements. |
| 66 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in the cross-border import business of online cultural products. China’s commitments upon accession to the WTO are excluded. |
| 67 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to operate broadcast television video-on-demand services, except for three-star or above hotels or equivalent hotels. Those engaged in broadcast television video-on-demand business must obtain the “Broadcast Television Video-on-Demand Business License” according to law. Programs used for broadcast television video-on-demand should mainly consist of domestic programs. The Chinese government implements an approval system for the landing of foreign satellite channels. |
| 68 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in the production and operation of broadcast television programs (including import business), but domestic broadcast television program production institutions approved can cooperate with foreign institutions and individuals to produce TV dramas (including TV cartoons). In the co-production of TV dramas by Chinese and foreign parties, Chinese personnel must not be less than one-third of the main creative personnel (screenwriters, producers, directors, main actors). Hiring foreign individuals to participate in domestic broadcast television program production requires approval from radio and television administrative departments. |
| 69 | Foreign art performance troupes and individuals are not allowed to independently hold commercial performances but can participate in commercial performances organized by Chinese performance brokerage agencies or participate in commercial performances independently organized by Chinese art performance troupes by invitation, subject to approval by cultural and tourism administrative departments. Foreign individuals are not allowed to apply for the performance brokerage qualification examination. |
| 70 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in news services, including but not limited to news services provided through news agencies, newspapers, periodicals, radio stations, and TV stations. However, (1) Foreign news agencies approved by the Chinese government can establish resident news agencies, engage only in news gathering work, and send resident correspondents to China; (2) Foreign and Chinese news agencies approved by the Chinese government can engage in specific business cooperation under the condition of ensuring Chinese leadership. Foreign news agencies approved by the Chinese government can provide specific news services approved for China, such as supplying manuscripts to domestic news agencies. |
| 71 | Foreign service providers are not allowed to engage in social art level examination services. |
