· Document Number：Letter No. 79 [2018] of the State Council

· Area of Law： Trade & Commerce

· Level of Authority： Regulatory Documents of the State Council

· Date issued：06-01-2018

· Effective Date：06-01-2018

· Issuing Authority： State Council

· Status： Effective

Official Reply of the State Council on Approving the Deepening of the Pilot Program of Innovative Development of Trade in Services
(Letter No. 79 [2018] of the State Council)
The people's governments of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei province, Heilongjiang province, Shanghai, Jiangsu province, Zhejiang province, Shandong province, Hubei province, Guangdong province, Hainan province, Chongqing, Sichuan province, Guizhou province, and Shaanxi province; and the Ministry of Commerce:
The Ministry of Commerce's request for deepening the pilot reform of innovative development of trade in services was received. The official reply is hereby made as follows:
I. The Overall Proposal for Deepening the Pilot Program of Innovative Development of Trade in Services submitted by the Ministry of Commerce is approved in principle, and it is approved to deepen the pilot program of innovative development of trade in services in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hainan, Shenzhen, Harbin, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Suzhou, Weihai, Xiong'an New Area of Hebei, Liangjiang New Area of Chongqing, Gui'an New Area of Guizhou, Xixian New Area of Shaanxi, and other provinces and cities (areas). The duration of deepening the pilot program shall be two years, from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2020.
II. When the pilot program is to be deepened, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in a New Era shall be followed as guidance, the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee shall be fully implemented, the overall advancement of overall layout for "economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological progress" and the coordinated advancement of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy shall be effected, the concept of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development shall be adhered to, the supply-side structural reform shall be taken as the theme, systems and mechanisms, policies and measures, and opening-up paths compatible with the innovative development of trade in services shall be extensively explored, and the optimization of the business environment shall be accelerated, so as to maximize the vitality of the market and create a new height for innovation in trade in services systems.
III. The pilot programs (administration commissions) of the regions under the pilot program shall strengthen the organizational leadership of the work on the pilot program, be responsible for the promotion of the implementation, comprehensive coordination, and measure-based guarantee of the work on the pilot program, focus on taking the lead in administrative systems, opening-up paths, promotion mechanisms, policy system, regulatory regimes, development modes, and other aspects, and explore a path for the innovative development of trade in services across the country. The people's governments of relevant provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall intensify the guidance of and support for the work on the pilot program and encourage regions under the pilot program to conduct bold exploration and blaze a trail.
IV. The relevant departments of the State Council shall, in accordance with the division of labor based on functions, strengthen the coordinating guidance of and policy support for the work on the pilot program, take the initiative to lead opening up, innovate policy means, and combine the efforts to promote the innovative development of trade in services. The Ministry of Commerce shall strengthen overall coordination and supervisory assessment and promptly summarize and promote the experience in the pilot program together with relevant authorities.
V. During the period for deepening the pilot program, the implementation of certain provisions of the relevant administrative regulations, documents issued by the State Council, and departmental rules approved by the State Council shall be temporarily adjusted, and the specific adjustment shall be separately issued by the State Council. The relevant departments of the State Council shall adjust the rules and regulatory documents formulated by them according to the Overall Proposal for Deepening the Pilot Program of Innovative Development of Trade in Services. The Ministry of Commerce shall promptly report the major issues in the pilot program to the State Council for instructions.
Annexes: 1. Overall Proposal for Deepening the Pilot Program of Innovative Development of Trade in Services (Omitted)
2. Opening-up and Facilitation Measures for Deepening the Pilot Program of Innovative Development of Trade in Services (Omitted)
3. Tasks and Policy Guarantee Measures for Deepening the Pilot Program of Innovative Development of Trade in Services (Omitted)
State Council
June 1, 2018