To the people’s governments of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, and all ministries and commissions of the State Council, and all direct institutions under the State Council:
Service trade is an important component of international trade and a significant field of international economic and trade cooperation, playing a crucial role in constructing the new development pattern. Accelerating the development of service trade is an inevitable requirement for expanding high-level opening-up and cultivating new drivers for foreign trade development. To innovatively enhance service trade and promote its high-quality development through high-level opening-up, and to accelerate the construction of a strong trade nation, with the approval of the State Council, the following opinions are now put forward.
I. Overall Requirements
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implementing 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, comprehensively and accurately implementing the new development concept, accelerating the construction of a new development pattern, focusing on promoting high-quality development, coordinating development and security, promoting inclusive development through service opening-up, promoting interconnected integration through service cooperation, cultivating development momentum through service innovation, creating a better future through service sharing, accelerating the digitalization, intellectualization, and greening process of service trade, promoting the growth in scale, optimization of structure, improvement of efficiency, and enhancement of strength in service trade, to make greater contributions to building a new system of higher-level open economy and solidly advancing the construction of Chinese-style modernization.
II. Promoting Institutional Opening-Up of Service Trade
(1) Establish and improve the negative list management system for cross-border service trade. Fully implement the negative list for cross-border service trade, establish corresponding management systems, and implement management according to the principle of consistent treatment for domestic and foreign services and service providers for cross-border service trade outside the negative list. Strengthen the coordination of various administrative approvals, permits, filings, and other matters with the negative list for cross-border service trade, and timely adjust regulations, rules, and normative documents that are inconsistent with the negative list. Enhance the management capability of the negative list, strengthen supervision of key industries, and optimize the supervision of cross-border flow of factors such as capital, technology, personnel, and data. Establish a risk assessment, early warning, and prevention mechanism for major opening-up measures in the service trade field, and strengthen risk monitoring in key sensitive areas. Research and construct a national cross-border service trade information platform that is compatible with negative list management, and strengthen information sharing among departments.
(2) Leverage the leading role of opening-up platforms. Expand autonomous opening-up, deeply explore the “top-down” and “bottom-up” opening-up paths, fully leverage the pioneering and pressure-testing roles of pilot free trade zones and Hainan Free Trade Port, and steadily promote the gradient opening-up of national cross-border service trade. Construct national service trade innovation and development demonstration zones, intensify exploration in areas such as market access for cross-border service trade, improving full-chain supervision of cross-border service trade, and establishing risk management and monitoring early warning mechanisms, to create a comprehensive reform and opening-up platform and high-quality development highland for service trade.
(3) Strengthen rule alignment and regulatory coordination. High-quality implementation of service trade opening commitments and related rules in regional economic and trade arrangements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), proactively align with international high-standard economic and trade rules such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and deepen domestic reforms in the service trade field. Referring to the World Trade Organization’s “Reference Paper on Services Domestic Regulation,” standardize licensing, qualifications, and technical standards in the service sector, simplify licensing and approval procedures, improve the transparency of regulatory policies, and reduce cross-border service trade costs. Research and conduct certification work for service providers.
(4) Enhance the standardization level of service trade. Implement the standardization action plan for service trade, accelerate the formulation of standards in the service trade field. Carry out international standardization work for service trade, and encourage the adoption of internationally common standards in fields where conditions are met.
III. Promoting Cross-Border Flow of Resource Factors
(5) Facilitate cross-border movement of professional talents. Provide conveniences for the entry and exit of management personnel, technical personnel, and their accompanying family members of foreign-invested enterprises. Provide entry and exit conveniences such as visa processing and residence permits for high-level foreign talents and their research support personnel coming to China for investment, entrepreneurship, work, lectures, and economic and trade exchanges. Smooth the channels for high-level foreign talents to start businesses in China, allow foreign professional talents to obtain domestic professional qualifications and employment opportunities in specific open fields according to relevant requirements. Support qualified localities in establishing and improving the recognition list of foreign professional qualification certificates, and expand pilot programs for international mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
(6) Optimize cross-border capital flow management. Improve foreign exchange management measures, explore graded management based on enterprise credit, and enhance the convenience of foreign exchange business for service trade and foreign investment in the service sector. Expand the cross-border use of RMB in the service trade field, and support cross-border trade financing and refinancing business in RMB.
(7) Promote the transaction and application of technological achievements. Improve the management and promotion system for technology trade, create innovation resource matching platforms, expand international technology cooperation networks, promote the international operation of intellectual property rights, and provide facilitation arrangements for cross-border technology transfer of R&D centers. Standardize and explore ways to promote the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements through intellectual property securitization, science and technology insurance, and other means. Encourage commercial banks to adopt financing methods such as intellectual property pledge and expected income pledge to promote the transformation and transaction of technological achievements.
(8) Promote efficient, convenient, and secure cross-border data flow. Open international internet data special channels in areas where conditions are met. Support the establishment of efficient, convenient, and secure cross-border data flow mechanisms under the national security management system framework for cross-border data transmission, efficiently conduct security assessments for the outbound transfer of important data and personal information, and optimize the digital development environment for service trade.
IV. Promoting Innovation and Development in Key Areas
(9) Enhance international transportation service capabilities. Support domestic shipping enterprises in opening new routes and improve the international-oriented maritime service network. Promote the digitalization of shipping trade, and expand the application of electronic delivery and electronic bills of lading in the port and shipping field. Optimize the layout of international air transport, strengthen the support of the international air cargo network for industrial and supply chains. Further improve the allocation efficiency of international passenger air rights and time slot resources, and strengthen the supply-demand matching of air capacity and inbound and outbound tourism. Construct an international logistics service system, improve the level of cross-border express delivery services and the integrated service capability of international supply chains.
(10) 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 for foreigners and residents of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan to use electronic payment, and to book tickets for scenic spots, purchase vehicle (ship) tickets, etc. with valid documents. Provide diversified payment services for foreign tourists in public places such as hotels, tourist attractions, and shopping malls. Implement policy measures to facilitate accommodation for foreigners in China.
(11) Support the development of professional service trade. Expand the export of characteristic services, promote the clustered development of service trade in intellectual property, geographic information, human resources, and other fields. Support financial, consulting, design, certification and accreditation, legal, mediation, arbitration, accounting, language, supply chain, standardization, and other professional service institutions in enhancing their international service capabilities, and cultivate new growth points for service trade. Develop agricultural service trade, driving the export of agricultural materials, machinery, and technology. Accelerate the development of education service trade, expand cooperation with globally renowned universities, and conduct 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 models of service outsourcing such as cloud outsourcing and platform subcontracting, and further drive employment for key groups such as college graduates.
(12) 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 Traditional Chinese Medicine service trade, and actively develop “Internet + TCM service trade”. Support well-known Chinese time-honored catering enterprises to conduct international operations of Chinese cuisine brands, enhancing the international influence of Chinese culinary culture. Actively apply digital technology, artificial intelligence, and other innovations to enhance service supply and improve the international competitiveness of the service industry.
(13) Promote the integrated development of service trade and goods trade. Optimize the bonded supervision model, support various regions in leveraging comprehensive bonded zones to conduct “two-ends abroad” businesses such as R&D, testing, maintenance, and storage and display of cultural relics and artworks. Promote the integrated development of service trade and high-end manufacturing, refine and introduce specific policy measures in fields such as biomedicine, aircraft, automobiles, and engineering machinery, support manufacturing enterprises in providing internationally competitive specialized and comprehensive services.
(14) Expand the import of high-quality services. Revise the catalogue of encouraged imported services, expand the import of urgently needed productive services domestically. Focus on residents’ consumption upgrade demands, promote the import of high-quality life services such as medical health and cultural entertainment. Introduce international boutique events and organize foreign film exhibitions and exchange cooperation activities in qualified areas to further enrich market supply and promote the quality development of life services.
(15) Assist green and low-carbon development. Vigorously develop green technology and green service trade, research and formulate guidance catalogues for green service imports and exports. Encourage the import of urgently needed domestic technologies and services for energy conservation, carbon reduction, environmental protection, and ecological governance, and expand the export of green energy-saving technologies and services. Strengthen international cooperation in green technology and build cooperation platforms between enterprises.
V. Expanding International Market Layout
(16) Deepen international cooperation in service trade. Implement the global cooperation partner network plan for service trade, consolidate key cooperation partners, and actively explore emerging markets. Strengthen service trade and digital trade cooperation with countries jointly building the “Belt and Road”, further expand cooperation areas under mechanisms such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and expand multilateral and regional cooperation in service trade. Guide the leveraging of local resource advantages, support qualified regions in building international cooperation parks for service trade.
(17) Establish and improve the service trade promotion system. Encourage various regions to establish and improve mechanisms to promote the development of service trade. Strengthen the capacity building of service trade intermediary organizations, fully leverage 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 qualified cities in building legal service centers and international commercial arbitration centers. Fully leverage the role of important exhibition platforms such as the China International Fair for Trade in Services, continuously enhance the fame and influence of exhibitions, promote the construction of a market-oriented exhibition pattern for service trade led by leading enterprises, with distinctive features and scientific development, and support enterprises in organizing and participating in overseas exhibitions.
VI. Improving the Support System
(18) Innovate support policies and measures. Fully utilize existing funding channels at central and local levels, as well as relevant funds such as the service trade innovation and development guidance fund, innovate support methods, and promote the development of service trade. Broaden enterprise financing channels, encourage financial institutions to launch financial services adapted 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 international service trade markets. Increase support for export credit insurance, expand coverage in the service trade field, appropriately optimize underwriting methods for qualified small and medium-sized enterprises, and improve the convenience level of insurance services. Implement well the current relevant tax policies such as zero-rate or exemption of value-added tax for service exports. Support universities in strengthening the construction of relevant disciplines and majors in service trade, promote the construction of service trade think tanks, and strengthen the training of professional talents in service trade.
(19) Enhance statistical monitoring levels. Revise and improve the international service trade statistical monitoring system, and improve the comprehensive statistical method for service trade. Promote data exchange and information sharing among departments, and improve the service trade statistical monitoring system and key enterprise contact system. Research and establish a service trade statistical database to enhance the public service level of service trade statistical data.
(20) Strengthen regional cooperation in service trade. Leverage the regional advantages of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, and build regional public platforms for service trade development. Enhance the leading and driving role of eastern regions, cultivate a batch of benchmark cities for service trade. Support the central and western regions and northeast region in constructing multi-level inland opening-up platforms, and promote the innovative development of advantageous and characteristic service trade. Encourage the establishment of cross-regional collaboration mechanisms for service trade, and promote the efficient and rational flow of resource factors such as capital, talent, technology, and data.
All regions and relevant departments should fully recognize the importance of vigorously developing service trade from a overall and strategic height, rely on expanding opening-up and innovation-driven development to stimulate new momentum for service trade development, and implement this opinion well. All regions should actively cultivate characteristic and advantageous industries in service trade based on local realities. All relevant departments should strengthen coordination and cooperation, sort out and solve bottleneck problems in the service trade field, improve relevant policies for service trade development, and support the advancement of major reform matters. The Ministry of Commerce should strengthen overall coordination, improve working mechanisms, ensure the timely introduction and effective implementation of various policy measures, and actively create a service trade development environment that expands opening-up, encourages innovation, ensures fair competition, and is standardized and orderly. Major matters should be reported to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council in a timely manner.
General Office of the State Council
August 28, 2024
