Several Measures of Guangzhou City to Optimize the Foreign Investment Environment and Intensify Efforts to Attract Foreign Investment

To thoroughly implement the decisions and plans of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and The State Council on attracting and utilizing foreign investment, accelerate the implementation of the "Opinions of The State Council on Further Optimizing the Foreign Investment Environment and Intensifying Efforts to Attract Foreign Investment" (Guo Fa [2023] No. 11), further promote the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in the new stage, continuously optimize the foreign investment environment, and intensify efforts to attract foreign investment To comprehensively enhance the global capacity for aggregating and radiating high-end resources and elements, and to achieve high-quality new vitality in an old city, the following measures are formulated in light of the actual situation of our city:

(1) Strengthen attracting foreign investment in key areas.

Adhering to the principle of prioritizing industry and establishing the city on manufacturing, we will intensify the utilization of foreign investment in advanced manufacturing, strategic emerging industries, modern services and other sectors, promote the concentration of foreign investment in the real economy, and build an international first-class advanced manufacturing cluster and a modern service economy center with global influence. (Responsible units: The Municipal Bureau of Commerce, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, and the Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology shall be responsible for their respective duties.

Support foreign investment in setting up research and development centers in Guangzhou, encourage foreign-funded research and development centers to apply for the Guangzhou Key Field Research and Development Program and the National Key Research and Development Program, and carry out key core technology research and development and industrial application. (Responsible units: The Municipal Bureau of Commerce, the Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, and the Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology shall be responsible for their respective duties.)

Under the premise of complying with relevant laws and regulations, we will accelerate the implementation and production of foreign-invested projects in the biomedicine field, and encourage foreign-invested enterprises to conduct clinical trials of cell and gene therapy drugs that have been marketed overseas in our city in accordance with the law. Optimize the application procedures for the marketing registration of drugs that have been marketed and produced overseas and are transferred to domestic production. We will continue to build a platform for the entry and exit of biomaterials in South China to shorten the customs clearance time for biomaterials. (Responsible units: Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Municipal Health Commission, Municipal Market Supervision Bureau. Guangzhou Customs shall be responsible for their respective duties.)

Encourage foreign-invested enterprises to carry out bilateral and multilateral technical cooperation with various vocational colleges (including technical colleges) and vocational training institutions, jointly build technological and skill innovation platforms, and jointly cultivate high-quality skilled talents. (Responsible units: The Municipal Education Bureau, the Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, and the Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau shall be responsible for their respective duties.

(2) Steadily expand the opening up of the service sector.

We will deepen the comprehensive pilot program for expanding the opening up of the national service sector, and safely and orderly relax access restrictions in areas such as science and technology services, professional services, wholesale and retail services, business services, logistics and transportation services, resident services, education services, financial services, health and medical services, power and energy services, telecommunications services, cultural services, and legal services. Deepen cooperation in the service industry with Hong Kong and Macao regions, and facilitate the convenient practice of professionals in the legal, tax-related, financial, architectural design, planning, medical and other service industries from Hong Kong and Macao in Guangzhou. Actively strive for Hong Kong and Macao service providers to independently establish non-academic vocational training institutions in Nansha New Area. Promote the development of a new model of combined pledge loans for intellectual property rights, equity and related physical assets, standardize the exploration of intellectual property securitization, and support foreign patent agencies in setting up representative offices in the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City. (Responsible units: Member units of the Comprehensive Pilot Work Leading Group for Expanding Opening-up of the Service Industry in Guangzhou shall be responsible for their respective duties.)

(3) Build high-level platforms for opening up to the outside world.  

We will promote the high-quality development and opening up of Nansha, and actively introduce major foreign investment projects in the construction of important carriers such as Nansha Bay, Qingsheng Hub, and the Nansha Hub Pilot Zone. Deepen the innovation and integration of free trade zones, steadily expand institutional opening up, and promote all-round cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao. (Responsible unit: Nansha District Government)

Support national and provincial-level economic and technological development zones in upgrading their capabilities by increasing investment attraction, and strengthen the foreign investment aggregation advantages of key open platforms such as the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City, the Guangzhou Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy Pilot Zone, the International Finance City, the Tianhe Central Business District, and the Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone. Enhance the capabilities of innovation nodes such as Guangzhou Science City, Guangzhou University Town, International Bio-Island, Zhongda International Innovation Ecological Valley, Tianhe Smart City, Baiyun Lake Digital Technology City, Hailongwei Science and Technology Innovation Zone, and Huaguo Mountain Ultra-High Definition Video Town, and increase efforts to attract foreign investment to drive the all-round development of the entire region. (Responsible units: District Governments of all districts, Management Committee of Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone)

(4) Attract foreign investment through multiple means.

Attract more multinational companies to set up regional headquarters or headquarters-type institutions in Guangzhou, and support them in concentrating business, expanding functions and enhancing their capabilities in the city. We will implement the policy of temporarily exempting withholding income tax on the reinvestment of profits obtained by foreign investors within the territory of China. We will encourage foreign-invested enterprises in Guangzhou to increase their investment through forms such as capital increase and share expansion as well as reinvestment of profits. Support local enterprises in actively attracting foreign investment through overseas listings, introducing venture capital and other means. (Responsible units: Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Development and Reform Commission, Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Market Supervision and Administration Bureau, Local Financial Supervision and Administration Bureau. Guangzhou Taxation Bureau shall be responsible for its respective duties.)

We will promote the pilot program for qualified Foreign Limited Partners (QFLP) to make domestic investments and support the raised foreign capital in making relevant domestic investments. (Responsible units: Local Financial Regulatory Bureau, Guangdong Branch of the People's Bank of China Business Management Department)

Optimize the overall layout of international consumption centers, encourage foreign-invested enterprises to deeply participate in the construction of landmark commercial complexes and key business districts, and actively invest in consumption fields such as housing improvement, new energy vehicles, characteristic culture, business and tourism, and elderly care services through technological innovation, product updates, and scene optimization. We should play the "five external linkage" combination punch of foreign trade, foreign investment, outsourcing, foreign economic cooperation and foreign intelligence, take advantage of our city's super-large-scale market and rich application scenarios, push market investment promotion, and promote the integrated development of trade and investment, as well as the introduction of capital and intelligence. (Responsible units: The Municipal Bureau of Commerce, the Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, the Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, the Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, and the Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Film and Tourism shall be responsible for their respective duties.)

(V) Guarantee the national treatment of foreign-invested enterprises.

Implement the Government Procurement Law, carry out special inspections as required to ensure that business entities can participate in government procurement activities fairly, and accept and handle fairly the inquiries and complaints of foreign-invested enterprises regarding government procurement in accordance with the law. (Responsible unit: Municipal Finance Bureau

We will steadily advance the national-level pilot projects for standardization in the service industry. Support and encourage foreign-invested enterprises to participate in the formulation and revision of international standards, national standards, industry standards, "Bay Area standards", local standards and group standards on an equal footing in accordance with the law. Encourage foreign-invested enterprises to establish enterprise standard systems and strive to create pilot projects for standardization in the service industry. (Responsible units: Municipal Market Supervision Bureau, Municipal Bureau of Commerce)

Ensure that foreign-invested enterprises are legally and equally eligible for all policies supporting the development of enterprises in this city. All district governments and relevant departments shall not exclude or discriminate against foreign-invested enterprises and their products and services, nor shall they set additional conditions for foreign-invested enterprises to enjoy policies. (Responsible units: District governments of all districts, the Management Committee of Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone, and all relevant units

(6) Strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of foreign investors. Implement the "Regulations on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Foreign Investors in Guangdong Province", improve the complaint service mechanism for foreign investors at both the municipal and district levels, and handle complaints related to foreign investment in a timely and proper manner. (Responsible units: Municipal Bureau of Commerce, District Governments, Management Committee of Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone)  

Crack down on malicious hype behaviors that infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors by releasing and spreading false, inaccurate and infringing information through the Internet in accordance with laws and regulations. (Responsible unit: Municipal Cyberspace Administration Office)

When formulating various foreign-related economic and trade policies and measures, opinions from foreign-invested enterprises and relevant business associations should be solicited in accordance with the law. A reasonable transition period for newly introduced policies and measures should be set to minimize the negative impact of policy changes on market entities. (Responsible units: Municipal Bureau of Commerce, District Governments, Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone Committee)

(7) Intensify administrative protection of foreign-related intellectual property rights.

Relying on the intellectual property workstation in the Pazhou core area and the intellectual property protection workstation in the exhibition industry, applications for Copyrights, patents, trademarks and other intellectual property rights of exhibited products are accepted, and effective measures to prevent infringement are provided. (Responsible units: The Publicity Department of the Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Municipal Market Regulation Bureau [Intellectual Property Bureau] shall be responsible for their respective duties.)

Improve the administrative adjudication system for patent infringement disputes and intensify the enforcement of administrative adjudications. We will intensify the punishment for intellectual property infringement in foreign-related fields, improve the rapid and coordinated protection mechanism for intellectual property rights, and perfect the cross-regional and cross-departmental mechanisms for the transfer of intellectual property cases, information notification, cooperation in investigations and law enforcement collaboration. (Responsible unit: Municipal Market Regulation Bureau [Intellectual Property Bureau])

Strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights in the field of drug and medical consumables procurement. (Responsible units: The Municipal Market Supervision Bureau (Intellectual Property Office) and the Medical Insurance Bureau shall be responsible for their respective duties.)

(8) Facilitate the movement of international business personnel.

For foreign high-level talents, foreign senior managers, foreign members of innovation and entrepreneurship teams, foreign technical talents and those who come to Guangzhou to engage in necessary economic and trade activities, conveniences such as visa application, entry and exit, and stay and residence will be provided for themselves and their families. (Responsible unit: Municipal Public Security Bureau

Provide special service follow-up for foreign personnel from major projects and key business groups coming to Guangzhou. (Responsible unit: Municipal Bureau of Commerce) Enhance the convenience of applying the permanent residence ID card for foreigners in scenarios such as public transportation, financial services, medical security, and Internet payment. (Responsible units: The Municipal Public Security Bureau and the Municipal Government Services Data Administration Bureau shall be responsible for their respective duties.)

(IX) Create a more relaxed and orderly regulatory environment.

We will implement the requirements of the Cybersecurity Law, the Data Security Law, the Personal Information Protection Law and other laws, and cooperate with relevant provincial departments to promote the efficient conduct of data export security assessment and the filing of standard contracts for personal information export, so as to ensure the safe, orderly and more convenient cross-border data flow in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. (Responsible unit: Municipal Cyberspace Administration Office)

During the law enforcement inspection of foreign-invested enterprises, flexible law enforcement measures such as persuasion and regulation, guidance and interviews should be given priority in accordance with the law. Communication and coordination among departments such as emergency management, ecological environment and market supervision should be strengthened. Inclusive supervision measures such as "entering once and inspecting multiple matters" and "non-contact supervision" should be explored and implemented. The proportion and frequency of spot checks should be reasonably reduced to improve law enforcement efficiency. (Responsible units: The Municipal Market Supervision Bureau, the Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, and the Municipal Emergency Management Bureau shall be responsible for their respective duties.)

(10) Optimize the incentive and preferential policies for foreign investment.

We will implement the fiscal special reward policies for major foreign investment projects at the central and provincial levels. For foreign-invested projects that meet the conditions, we will provide matching support at a certain proportion of the provincial fiscal rewards for utilizing foreign capital. (Responsible unit: Municipal Bureau of Commerce

Encourage each district to arrange additional rewards on top of the municipal financial rewards in accordance with relevant regulations. (Responsible units: District Governments of all districts, Management Committee of Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone)

Implement the policy of fully refunding the value-added tax for foreign-funded R&D centers purchasing domestic equipment, and support and encourage foreign-invested projects to enjoy preferential policies such as import tax exemption in accordance with relevant national regulations. (Responsible units: Municipal Bureau of Commerce. Guangzhou Customs, Huangpu Customs and Guangzhou Taxation Bureau shall be responsible for their respective duties.)

Fully implement the individual income tax preferential policies in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the relevant tax preferential policies in the "Overall Plan for Deepening Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Tripartition-oriented Comprehensive Cooperation in Nansha, Guangzhou". (Responsible units: Municipal Finance Bureau, Science and Technology Bureau, Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Guangzhou Taxation Bureau, Nansha District Government)

Provide guidance and assistance to foreign individuals to enjoy tax exemption and preferential policies for housing subsidies, language training fees, children's education fees and other allowances and subsidies in accordance with relevant national regulations. (Responsible unit: Guangzhou Taxation Bureau

Do a good job in the visa work of free trade agreement certificates of origin, and provide convenience for foreign-invested enterprises to enjoy tariff reduction and exemption policies through intelligent review, self-service printing, self-declaration and other means. (Responsible unit: Municipal Council for the Promotion of International Trade. Guangzhou Customs and Huangpu Customs shall be responsible for their respective duties.)

(11) Improve the system for promoting foreign investment.

Strengthen regular communication and exchanges between the government and enterprises, hold roundtable meetings for foreign-invested enterprises, carry out visits and research to warm enterprises, and provide targeted and precise services based on classified policies. (Responsible units: Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Development and Reform Commission, District Governments, and the Management Committee of Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone shall be responsible for their respective duties.)

We will spare no effort to create an entrepreneurial environment that allows for "one-click start", an investment environment that enables "immediate connection and immediate use", and a business environment that responds to every call. Give full play to the role of mechanisms such as the municipal investment promotion work liaison meeting, the direct line for municipal leaders to connect with multinational enterprises, and the special task force for stabilizing foreign investment. Provide full-process tracking services for key foreign investment projects, strengthen element support, policy support and service guarantee, and promote early signing, early implementation, early commencement and early production of projects. (Responsible units: Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Development and Reform Commission, Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources, Bureau of Ecology and Environment, Guangdong Branch of the People's Bank of China), District governments, and the Management Committee of Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone shall be responsible for their respective duties.

Encourage each district to provide support for major foreign investment projects in accordance with the law through the "one project, one discussion" approach. (Responsible units: District Governments of all districts, Management Committee of Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone)

Encourage the foreign investment promotion departments at the municipal and district levels to explore more effective and flexible employment mechanisms and salary systems, and strive to form a flexible and efficient coordinated and interactive mechanism for foreign investment promotion involving multiple parties such as the government, investment attraction institutions, business associations, intermediary agencies, and leading enterprises in the industrial chain. (Responsible units: Municipal Bureau of Commerce, District Governments, Management Committee of Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone)

(12) Expand domestic and overseas investment promotion services.

Expand the network of foreign investment service workstations, set up investment service stations in Guangzhou at key exhibitions, and enhance the level of foreign investment services. We will continue to build the brand of the "China Guangzhou International Investment Annual Conference", give full play to the role of domestic and foreign exhibitions such as the Canton Fair, use the conference as a medium to carry out investment promotion, transform "exhibitors and participants" into "investors", and conduct targeted project negotiation and matching activities. (Responsible unit: Municipal Bureau of Commerce

Accelerate the construction of overseas economic and trade cooperation points. On the basis of "Investing in Guangzhou Global Partners", give priority to promoting the establishment of overseas investment promotion liaison stations in North America, the European Union, the Middle East and Singapore, and build cooperation platforms for overseas investment promotion enterprises to exchange, industrial connection, capital services and technological innovation. We will regularly carry out investment promotion, conference and exhibition activities abroad. For the working teams involved in investment promotion, conference and exhibition, we will give preferential treatment and support in terms of batches, personnel and financial guarantee. (Responsible units: Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Municipal Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, District Governments, and the Management Committee of Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone shall be responsible for their respective duties.)