Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission ("NDRC") and the Ministry of Commerce ("MOFCOM") have jointly issued the Catalog of Industries for Encouraged Foreign Investment (2020 Edition) (Draft for Comment) (the "Draft for Comment") to solicit comments from the public before August 30, 2020.
In accordance with the Draft for Comment, this revision in general adds items, without removing items. As compared with the 2019 Edition, 125 items are added, and 76 ones are amended (mainly expanding fields covered by original items). The Draft for Comment has made the following main revisions: 1. Further encouraging the participation of foreign capital in the high-quality development of manufacturing industry. Concerning the national catalog, items about the manufacturing of raw materials, components and parts as well as terminal products are added or expanded. 2. Encouraging the investment of foreign capital in productive service industry. Regarding the national catalog, items about research and development design, commercial services, modern logistics, information services, etc. are added or expanded. 3. Encouraging the investment of foreign capital in the Central-Western Region. With respect to the catalog for the Central-Western Region, relevant items are added or expanded as per greater opening-up and investment attraction demands of all places. Some items about exhibitions, logistics and e-commerce in the catalog for the Central-Western Region are transferred into the national catalog.