China opens manufacturing, healthcare sectors to foreign money

CHINA will fully open its manufacturing sector to foreign investments and is also allowing more room for foreign capital in its health sector, adding to efforts to revive the world’s second-largest economy.

Beijing will remove the last remaining limits on overseas investments in the manufacturing sector starting from Nov 1 and cut its list of areas that are restricted for foreign investors, according to a statement from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) posted on Sunday (Sep 8). The restrictions to be dropped are relatively minor, such as requirements for Chinese majority control of printing factories and a prohibition on investment in production of Chinese herbal medication.

The government pledged to promote the expansion and opening up of the service industry and encourage overseas investment access in that sector, the NDRC said. Authorities are studying potential policy revisions, with one of the key directions being to foster further foreign investment into services.

Separately, China also announced a slew of policies to further open up its healthcare sector. Foreign capital will be allowed to engage in the development and application of technologies covering stem cells, gene diagnosis and treatment in the pilot free trade zones in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong and Hainan, according to a statement posted on the website of the Ministry of Commerce. All products that have been registered, marketed and approved for production can then be used nationwide.

The government will also allow the setup of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hainan island, according to the statement. However, the acquisition of public hospitals and facilities practising traditional Chinese medicine are still not permitted, it added. The new policy takes effect immediately.