The General Office of the State Council has recently distributed the Circular on Further Promoting the Implementation of Policies for Optimizing the Business Environment to Ease Enterprises' Concerns (the "Circular").
The Circular calls for efforts to: 1. resolutely remove all unreasonable thresholds and limits to form a market environment full of fair competition; 2. enhance investment and trade facilitation for foreign investors and increase the level of opening-up; 3. constantly improve the quality of examination and approval services and boost the work efficiency; 4. ease the burden of taxes and fees on enterprises to lower their production and operating costs; 5. vigorously protect intellectual property rights to create a sound environment for business starting and innovation; 6. strengthen and standardize the in-process and ex-post regulation to maintain good market order; and 7. improve the organization and leadership and make clear job responsibilities. Among others, the Circular expressly states that actions will be taken to further lower the market entry threshold for social capital and rule out local protectionism practices and administrative monopolistic conduct. Meanwhile, it is required to practically secure equal treatment to foreign-invested enterprises, further boost foreign investments, lower the compliance costs in the import and export stage, push for the customs clearance facilitation, optimize tax refund policies for exports, and shorten the tax refund process for exports.