The State Council has recently issued the Official Reply on Approving Comprehensively Deepening the Pilot Program on Innovative Development of Trade in Services (the "Reply").
The Reply states that the Overall Plan for Comprehensively Deepening the Pilot Program on Innovative Development of Trade in Services proposed by the Ministry of Commerce ("MOFCOM") is approved in principle to comprehensively deepen the pilot program on innovative development of trade in services in 28 provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government (regions) including Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai. The period for comprehensively deepening the pilot program is three years, commencing from the date of reply. Meanwhile, the Reply requires that people's governments (administrative committees) of pilot areas shall strengthen organization and leadership, and focus efforts on firstly carrying out the pilot program in terms of reforming the administration system, expanding opening up, improving the policy system, perfecting the promotion mechanism, innovating development models and optimizing the regulation system, to explore paths for the innovative development of trade in services nationwide. In addition, the Reply emphasizes that in the period for comprehensively deepening the pilot program, certain provisions of the relevant administrative regulations, documents of the State Council and departmental rules approved by the State Council shall be adjusted before implementation temporarily in light of development needs, and the specific adjustments will be issued separately by the State Council.