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China’s Ministry of Commerce has issued new rules relaxing bureaucratic procedures for Chinese companies making overseas investments, the official Xinhua news agency said on Sunday.
Under the new rules, which take effect on October 6, only investments in countries or regions and industries identified as “sensitive” will require the ministry’s approval, Xinhua said.
Sensitive countries and regions include nations that do not have diplomatic ties with China and those that are subject to UN sanctions, Xinhua said.
It did not specify which industries were considered sensitive, but said the ministry had to approve investments from industries governed by China’s export control regime, and in “projects affecting more than one foreign country’s interests.” Foreign investment projects in all other areas would only need to be registered with the ministry, which previously had to approve any foreign investment projects worth more than $100mn, Xinhua said.
The new rules are China’s latest move to make foreign investment easier for Chinese companies, which are increasingly looking to buy foreign companies with good technology, recognizable brands, or effective marketing networks.
China’s National Development and Reform Commission, its top economic planning agency, also has the power to approve or veto foreign investments by Chinese companies, Xinhua said.
The NDRC issued new rules in April that require Chinese companies investing less than $1bn overseas to register their investment, rather than to seek the NDRC’s approval as before, Xinhua said.
