China Business Environment and Investment Trends Update 2021服贸会打造中国国际化营商环境发展新格局

2021 CIFTIS highlights new trends for the development of China's business environment. Opening and cooperation in the service industry has become an important force driving economic development and globalization

2021服贸会打造中国国际化营商环境发展新格局

服务业开放合作成为推动经济发展及全球化的重要力量

The 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) was held early September in Beijing. It is one of the three major exhibition platforms for China’s opening up and also a big stage for all regions in China to promote business opportunities in services trade. This year’s CIFTIS is themed “Towards Digital Future and Service Driven Development.” President Xi Jinping put forward four major initiatives for further opening up trade in services in his remarks, “First, China will further improve the level of opening-up and promote the implementation of the negative list in Cross-border trade. Second, China will explore the establishment of national demonstration zones for innovative development of service trade and increase support for service sector growth in Belt and Road partner countries. Third, China will strengthen the development rules in the service sector, support regions like Beijing in carrying out pilot projects to align the rules of high-quality international free trade agreements, and build demonstration zones for digital trade. Fourth, China will continue to support innovation and development of small and medium-sized entities (SMEs) by establishing the Beijing Stock Exchange."

Compared with last year, the 2021 CIFTIS forum's topics continue to cover service sectors such as culture, education, and sports etc., new trendy topics on trade in services, such as supply chain, commerce and healthcare have been added. According to the Ministry of Commerce, more than 12,000 companies representing 153 countries and regions participated in the event.

Highlights of the New Trends and Opportunities

The negative list on trade in services and national demonstration zones for further opening up the service sector

The negative list implementation is addressed at the first place among the four major initiatives for opening up trade in services. A "negative list" refers to a list of industries, sectors and businesses that are restricted from entering China market. Outside the list, foreign investment is free to enter. On August 26, 2021, China officially implemented its first Negative List of Cross-border service trade in Hainan Province, which clearly lists 70 special management measures in 11 categoriesfor overseas service providers. In all areas outside the list, domestic and Foreign Service providers will be treated equally, and have equal access to cross-border trade in service. The negative list will play a positive role in promoting the opportunities and development for businesses.

It is worth to note from four aspects about the "negative list": Talent policy, Improving transport freedom facilitation, Expansion of the opening up of professional service industry and financial industry. For example, removal of the restrictions on Foreign Service providers to engage in relevant business and foreign individuals to participate in multiple vocational qualification examinations. Individuals from overseas are allowed to apply for opening securities or futures accounts, and apply for practice investment consulting related to securities and futures. The opening level of the list now exceeds the commitments to WTO. The National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce are working together to issue the 2021 negative list for foreign investment access by the end of this year. China will continue to pursue wider and deeper opening-up and promote high-quality economic development.

The recognition catalogue of the Beijing Pilot Free Trade Zone are issued including 82 Overseas Vocational Qualifications

On CIFTIS, the Beijing municipal human resources and social security bureau issued the "Beijing Free Trade Zone Catalogue of Overseas Professional Qualification Recognition”, 82 overseas qualifications that issued by national and regional institutions, international organizations or well-known industry associations from the United States, Britain, Germany, France, and Singapore are listed.They are related to 10 key fields, such as finance, education, architecture & engineering, science & technology, and medical & healthcare services for the development of the trade zone. In addition, a number of supporting policies have been provided for overseas professionals with these professional qualifications to attract them to innovate and start businesses in Beijing.

For foreign individuals holding professional qualifications in the Catalogue, their working experience abroad can be regarded as working experience in China. When applying for work permit, the age can be relaxed to 65 years old, and to 70 years old in advanced industries, regardless of educational background, degree or work experience. When handling entry-exit, they can apply for multiple entry visas or residence permits that valid for 5 years, and those who meet certain requirements can be included in the convenient channels for permanent residence.

Cross-border E-commerce and Digital Service Trade

Alibaba for the first time officially released the "Alibaba international station SMEs foreign trade climate index" on CIFTIS. According to the index, the TOP10 export industries of China's SMEs are: Electrical Machinery, Mechanical Appliances, Home Furnishing, Plastics, Auto Parts, Knitted Clothing, Organic Chemicals, Optical Instruments, Steel, and Textiles. Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) of these 10 industries accounted for 71.2% of the total amount.

Picturefrom: alibaba.com

In the past five years, China's cross-border e-commerce has increased by nearly 10 times. Data from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) show that China's import and export cross-border e-commerce reached 1.69 trillion yuan in 2020, up 31.1%. Since 2021, the number of overseas warehouses has largely expanded, reaching 1,900 with an area of 13.5 million square meters. In the first half of 2021, 29 financing cases occurred in China's cross-border e-commerce with total amount of 7.81 billion yuan, up 324% YoY. More and more SMEs will benefit from the further improvement of digitalized trade in services national preferential policy such as the establishment of demonstration zones, to achieve “go abroad” along with high-quality development, and participate in the global market competition.

Establishment of the Beijing Stock Exchange

The opening of China's third stock exchange in Beijing is an epitome of China's high-level opening-up and new development trend. It demonstrated that the preliminarily establishment of a multi-level capital market promoted by the Chinese government has been completed. Compared with the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange, the Beijing Stock Exchange is more active, opening a path for the continuous growth and development of SMEs in China.

Private companies and SMEs in China contribute 50% of tax revenue, 60% of GDP, 70% of technological innovation and 80% of employment respectively with the tremendous impact to the economy. The BSE is positioned to support the innovative development of these SMEs, and it will not only play the role of Beijing as financial center, but also promote China's continuous reform and opening up of the capital market.

Against the big impact on international trade caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, China has taken various initiatives to open up trade in services. MOC data shows China's trade in services grew 7.3% YoY to nearly 2.81 trillion yuan (about $435 billion) in the first seven months of 2021. The policy orientation of the CIFTIS shows that the improvement of China's business environment is obvious and sustainable. During the COVID-19 pandemic, China successfully demonstrated its economic resilience and inclusiveness in responding to the outbreak. China's abundant market scale and preferential international talent support policies will surely attract more Chinese and foreign investors to expand the market and promote world economic recovery through service opening and cooperation.

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2021年中国国际服务贸易交易会9月初在北京举行，它是中国对外开放和促进服务贸易商机的三大展览平台之一。本届服贸会的主题是“数字开启未来，服务促进发展。”9月2日，国家主席习近平在服贸会上提出四个服务贸易开放的主要措施，表示“将进一步提高开放水平，在中国推进跨境贸易负面清单实施；探索建设国家服务贸易创新发展示范区及加大对“一带一路”伙伴国服务业增长的支持力度；中国将加强服务领域规则建设，支持北京等地开展国际高水平自由贸易协定规则对接先行先试，打造数字贸易示范区；继续支持中小企业创新发展，设立北京证券交易所。”

2021年的服贸会与去年相比，论坛议题继续涵盖文化、服务、教育、体育等服务领域，还结合热点趋势，新增了供应链、商务及健康卫生等服务贸易领域专题。据商务部统计，来自153个国家和地区的代表1.2万多家企业参加了此次活动。

亮点分析

服务贸易负面清单、国家服务业扩大开放综合示范区

四个服务贸易开放主要措施中，以推进服务贸易负面清单管理体制为首。“负面清单”是指政府列出禁止和限制进入的行业、领域、业务等清单，清单之外的领域，外资可以自由进入。2021年8月26日，中国首张《海南跨境服务贸易负面清单》正式实施，明确列出针对境外服务提供者的11个门类70项特别管理措施，凡是在清单之外的领域，对境内外服务提供者在跨境服务贸易方面一视同仁、平等准入，对企业寻找到更多的商业机会发展会产生积极的推动作用。

“负面清单”在人才政策、提升运输自由便利化、扩大专业服务业对外开放及扩大金融业对外开放四个方面值得重点关注：比如，取消外国服务提供者从事相关业务资格及外籍个人参加多项职业资格考试的限制；允许境外个人申请开立证券账户或者期货账户，并且可以申请证券投资咨询从业资格和期货投资咨询的从业等。现在清单在120个左右的分部门里的开放水平都超过了WTO的承诺。国家发展改革委正会同商务部计划年底前出台2021年版外资准入负面清单，坚持实施更大范围、更宽领域、更深层次对外开放的大方向，通过更高水平开放促进经济高质量发展。

北京自由贸易试验区境外职业资格认可目录共计82项

服贸会上，北京市人力资源社会保障局、市人才局联合发布了《北京自由贸易试验区境外职业资格认可目录》，认可82项境外职业资格，包括金融、教育、建筑与工程、科技、医疗健康服务等10个北京自由贸易试验区建设的重点领域；涉及美、英、德、法、新加坡等国家和地区机构、国际性组织或知名行业协会颁发的证书。此外，还对持有这些职业资格的境外专业人员提供多项支持政策，吸引他们来京创新创业。

对持有《目录》中职业资格的外籍人员，其境外从业经历可视同境内从业经历；在办理工作许可业务时，不受学历、学位、工作经历限制，年龄可放宽至65周岁，高精尖产业领域可放宽至70周岁；在办理出入境业务时，可办理有效期5年以内的多次签证或居留许可，符合条件的可纳入办理永久居留便利通道等。

跨境电商与数字化服务贸易

在今年服贸会现场，阿里巴巴首次正式发布了“阿里巴巴国际站中小企业外贸景气指数”。指数显示，中国中小企业现出口行业TOP10为：电机电气、机械器具、家居、塑料、车配、针织服装、有机化学品、光学照相等仪器、钢铁、其他纺织品等行业。十个行业GMV占比达71.2%。商务部数据显示，中国2020年跨境电商进出口规模达1.69万亿元，增长31.1%， 2021年以来，海外仓数量规模不断扩大，达到1900个，面积达到1350万平方米，全国跨境电商5年增长近10倍，推动了贸易高质量发展。2021年上半年中国跨境电商发生了29起融资，同比增长222%；融资总额78.1亿元，同比增长324%。在国家政策的红利下，随着数字化的服务贸易体系将得到进一步完善。越来越多的中小微企业将从中受益，实现出海和高质量发展，参与全球市场的竞争。

北京证券交易所的设立

中国第三家证券交易所正式落户北京，是中国高水平对外开放构建新发展格局的缩影，不仅意味着中国股市已经形成了上海、深圳、北京“三足鼎立”的格局，更意味着中国政府推进的多层次资本市场的建设初步完成。与上海证券交易所相比，北京证券交易所的活跃度更大，为中国的中小企业发展开辟了一条持续壮大的路径。

民营企业和中小企业贡献了50%的税收，60%的GDP，70%的技术创新，80%的就业，对于整个经济的作用是巨大的。北交所的定位就是扶持这些中小企业的创新发展，不仅会发挥北京金融中心的作用，也会推动中国持续改革开放和资本市场对外开放。

新冠肺炎疫情发生以来，国际贸易遭受重大冲击，在此背景下，中国采取多种措施，加大服务贸易开放力度。商务部数据显示，2021年前7个月，中国服务贸易同比增长7.3%，达到近2.81万亿元人民币（约4350亿美元）。此次服贸会的政策导向更表明中国营商环境的改善是明显的、可持续的。新冠肺炎疫情期间，在应对疫情方面成功表现出中国经济韧性和包容性。中国的市场规模，以及丰富的国际人才支持政策，必将吸引更多的中外企业投资者，通过服务开放合作拓展市场促进世界经济复苏。

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