Policy Interpretation of the "Work Plan for Optimizing the International Business Environment in Shenzhen in 2026

Starting in 2023, the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government have annually released three work plans to optimize a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment. This year, they have further upgraded and launched the “Shenzhen 2026 Work Plan for Optimizing an Internationalized Business Environment” (hereinafter referred to as the “Work Plan”). The Work Plan adheres to an international orientation, with institutional openness as its key focus and driving force. It comprehensively aligns with high-standard international economic and trade rules, benchmarks against the advanced experiences of leading global cities, and leverages Shenzhen’s unique strengths. By enhancing capabilities and raising standards in areas such as attracting foreign investment, promoting outbound investment, facilitating international trade, creating a favorable environment for work and study, ensuring livability and tourism appeal, and shaping the city’s brand image, the plan aims to propel the business environment from “catching up” to “leading,” accelerating the development of a world-class, globally competitive business environment.

Thoroughly implementing the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on fostering a first-class, market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment, this initiative seizes the significant historical opportunities presented by 2026—the inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan—and the hosting of the 33rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Informal Meeting in Shenzhen. The goal is to substantially elevate the city’s level of internationalization and accelerate the cultivation of a world-class, globally competitive business environment.

The Work Plan covers six major areas comprising 46 specific tasks.

(I) Focusing on Institutional Openness to Build a Global Investment DestinationSix tasks are centered on steadily advancing the opening-up of the service sector, expanding cooperation opportunities for utilizing foreign capital, optimizing services for foreign-invested enterprises, upgrading international registration services, enhancing the internationalization of financial markets, and aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules. These efforts address the urgent needs of foreign-invested enterprises in areas such as market access, regulatory alignment, and innovative cross-border financial services, while also responding to domestic enterprises’ demands for accessing innovation resources, securing international capital, and pursuing international collaboration opportunities.

(II) Improving Comprehensive Service Systems to Establish Shenzhen as a Benchmark City for Corporate Outbound ExpansionNine tasks aim to deepen Shenzhen–Hong Kong cross-border financial cooperation, further enhance interconnectivity within financial markets, strengthen overseas comprehensive service systems, launch special initiatives to support private enterprises in expanding into international markets, implement exhibition-driven trade promotion programs, intensify international liaison and economic-trade matchmaking, explore mechanisms to guide and support companies in managing overseas competitive risks, raise the internationalization level of intellectual property services, and improve the quality and capacity of international commercial arbitration services. These measures meet enterprises’ practical needs across critical outbound expansion areas, including cross-border financial services, overseas market support, global industry services, risk-response mechanisms, intellectual property protection, and commercial arbitration.

(III) Ensuring Smooth Dual Circulation Channels to Build an Efficient International Trade HubNine tasks focus on elevating the status of the international aviation hub, strengthening the functions of the international shipping hub, improving the intelligence level of shipping management, promoting innovative development of bonded operations, intensifying support for enterprises holding customs advanced certification, driving innovation in service trade, attracting and cultivating high-level trading entities and platforms, vigorously developing new forms and models of foreign trade, and exploring efficient, convenient, and secure mechanisms for cross-border data flows. These efforts help businesses reduce trade costs, optimize logistics and transportation systems, and improve supporting trade services, thereby better integrating them into the dual circulation development framework.

(IV) Deepening Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Macao Collaboration to Create a Diverse and Inclusive International Talent HubSix tasks concentrate on strengthening immigration and integration services for foreign talent, supporting innovation and entrepreneurship among Hong Kong and Macao youth, facilitating cross-border travel of researchers and materials, promoting smoother cross-border mobility for economic and trade professionals, and deepening connections between legal professionals engaged in international affairs. These measures fully address the core needs of international talent regarding career development, rights protection, access to educational resources, and ease of travel, striving to create a highly competitive talent-development environment and boost Shenzhen’s innovative vitality.

(V) Aligning with World-Class Standards to Foster a High-Quality, Comfortable, and Livable EnvironmentNine tasks are dedicated to creating a favorable consumer environment, optimizing the consumption experience at border checkpoints, enhancing public services across the entire cultural, tourism, and sports value chain, steadily advancing digital RMB initiatives, enriching the experiences of foreigners residing in Shenzhen, strengthening engineering and meteorological data services, improving educational services for students from Hong Kong, rigorously promoting international hospital accreditation, and expanding and upgrading parks. These efforts target the needs of expatriates and international tourists in terms of convenience, consumption experiences, quality of public services, leisure activities, and expectations for healthcare and well-being, aiming to enhance the overall experience of businesses and residents through concrete services and continuously strengthen the city’s international appeal.

(VI) Seizing APEC Host-Hosting Opportunities to Shape an Open and Inclusive City BrandSeven tasks focus on fostering a positive public opinion, establishing windows for promoting the city’s image, leveraging overseas resources to amplify Shenzhen’s voice, effectively communicating the “Shenzhen Story” abroad, elevating the internationalization level of the convention and exhibition industry, building Shenzhen into a world-class conference destination, and showcasing the city’s distinctive charm and appeal. Through diverse international exchange activities, these efforts highlight the city’s economic strength, cultural allure, and innovative dynamism, comprehensively enhancing its international visibility and reputation.