Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce have jointly issued the Catalogue of Foreign-invested Advantage Industries in Central and Western China (Revised in 2017) (the "Catalogue"), which shall come into force as of March 20, 2017.
The Catalogue is comprised of a total of 639 items, 139 items more than the previous version. It contains the following changes. The first is to promote the transformation and upgrade of traditional industries; the second is to support the development of the industry of high and new technologies and advanced applicative technologies; the third is to encourage the development of the service sector at a more rapid pace; the fourth is to promote the development of the labor-intensive industry; the fifth is to enhance infrastructure and associated industries; the sixth is to adjust the original items to adapt to new trends. The Catalogue, among other things, adds items in some provinces, including TFT-LCD glass substrate for the first generation through the sixth generation, the manufacture of integrated circuit, smartphone, tablet computer, and bio-medicine, to support the development of electronic and medicine industrials in a concentrated manner. Additionally, the Catalogue also introduces export-oriented textile, clothing, furniture and other items in provinces with advantages in labor force, so as to promote the formation of new export-oriented industrial clusters.