The 10th executive meeting of Suzhou Municipal Government has passed the Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on the Policy for Opening up Further to the Outside World and Promoting the Utilization of Foreign Investment through deliberation. Now, it is issued to you. Please implement with utmost earnestness.
People’s Government of Suzhou
June 19th, 2017
(Public issuance)
Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on the Policy for Opening up Further to the Outside World and Promoting the Utilization of Foreign Investment
In order to implement the Notice of the State Council on Several Policies for Opening up Further to the Outside World and Promoting the Utilization of Foreign Investment (No.5 Regulation of the State Council in 2017), the Opinions of Jiangsu Provincial Government on Policy for Opening up Further to the Outside World and Promoting the Utilization of Foreign Investment (No.33 Regulation of Jiangsu Provincial Government in 2017), to make full use of the advantages of Suzhou on opening up and development, introduce foreign investment effectively, and utilize foreign investment in terms of efficiency and quality, the following opinions are therefore put forward.
1.Development of New Poles of Growth Through the Utilization of Foreign Investment
(1) Improvement on the Guidance for Foreign Investment. Based on the four main objectives of Suzhou, which include international competitive advanced manufacture basis, global industrial innovative platform, comprehensive cosmopolitan metropolis, unique and exotic cultural tourist attraction and habitable heaven on earth, policy for foreign investment guidance will be implemented in light of the No.3 to No.6 content in the Opinions of the Enhancement of Investment Promotion (No.282 Regulation of Suzhou Municipal Government Office in 2016). Improving the market access system of the pre-establishment national treatment plus a negative list, and carrying out the management of access system in light of the updated and the most inclusive policy of Jiangsu Province, as well as this country. Various industrial investment funds to guide entrepreneurship should function well. Investment should be guided rationally and the resources of capital should be enhanced through foreign investment investing directly (joint investment and cooperation), and through joining their ownership enlargement. (Responsible Departments: Development and Reform commission of Suzhou, Economy and Information Technology Commission of Suzhou, Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Municipal governments and district governments, SIP, Management Committee of Suzhou National Hi-Tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone and National Management Committees of Economic and Technological Development Zones)
(2) Enhancement on the foreign capital manufacturing industry. We have formulated and introduced advanced manufacturing bases, and implemented supply-side structural reforms, Internet plus actions, and policies measures and action plans concerning Made In China 2025, which are fully applicable to foreign enterprises. We have formulated policies on promoting innovative developments in terms of trade in services and processing, on giving support to industries cross-border E-commerce, big data, intelligent equipment, Internet of Things, software, integrated circuits, etc., and equally implementing them to foreign enterprises. Efficient and active policies will be implemented on projects supported by foreign investment: duty exemption policies will cover introduction of technical equipment and importing of their key components and raw materials; preferential policies will cover import value-added tax and offset the VAT when companies purchase machinery and equipment. (Responsible departments: Economy and Information Technology Commission of Suzhou, Development and Reform commission of Suzhou, Development and Reform commission of Suzhou, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, Suzhou Customs District, Customs of SIP, Customs District of Zhangjiagang, Suzhou Municipal Tax Service, State Administration of Taxation, Suzhou Municipal Tax Service, and State Administration of Taxation of SIP)
(3) Deepening the opening up on service sector. We should implement updated opening-up policies put forward by central government and Jiangsu Provincial government timely. We should also promote the city's innovative service trade pilot projects at national-level, comprehensive tests towards International E-commerce, trade pilot on market procurement, demonstration of service outsourcing, free trade zone policies promoted by Suzhou Industrial Park in the opening-up and innovative experiments, a series of opening-up and financial innovation pilot projects on Taiwan-funded service sector deepened by Kunshan in the experiments of Cross-strait cooperation pilot zone, which demonstrates the opening-up advantages and the attractive features to foreign investment. Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on the Policy for Promoting Comprehensive Tests Towards International E-commerce (No.133 Regulation of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2016), Notice of the Issuance of Suzhou Municipal Government Office on Innovative Service Trade Pilot Projects Implementation Plan and Seven Major Actions in Key Pilot Industries (No.224 Regulation of Suzhou Municipal Government Office in 2016) and Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on the Policy for Promoting the Application of Big Data and Industrial development (No.224 Regulation of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2016), such enterprise-related and project-related measures in industrial development and special support policies should be accessible to foreign-invested enterprises and foreign-funded projects. We should give support to qualified foreign-invested enterprises on applying for fund guided by the development of modern service sector, and leading fund of modern service sector. We should actively promote the service sector so that it can be appointed as piolet project at national level, thus we can acted as the pioneer. (Responsible Departments: Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Development and Reform commission of Suzhou, Economy and Information Technology Commission of Suzhou, Bureau of Education of Suzhou, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security of Suzhou, Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural development of Suzhou, Bureau of Transport of Suzhou, Bureau of Culture, Broadcast and Publication of Suzhou, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Bureau of Civil Affairs of Suzhou, Bureau of Tourism of Suzhou, Suzhou Communication Industry Management Office, Supervision Bureau of Suzhou, Suzhou Municipal Office of Financial Work, People’s Bank of China Suzhou Branch, China Banking Regulatory Commission Suzhou Bureau, China Insurance Regulatory Commission Suzhou Bureau, People’s Government of Kunshan and Changshu, and Management Committee of SIP)
(4) Promoting innovation driven by internal and external linkage and integrity. Apart from special clauses, following policies are accessible to foreign-invested enterprises and projects: Notice of the Issuance of People's Government of Suzhou and the CPC Suzhou Municipality on the plans in implementation of national innovation-driven development strategy (No.31 Regulation of Suzhou Municipal Committee in 2016), Notice of the Issuance of People's Government of Suzhou and the CPC Suzhou Municipality on Policy of Creating Great Platform for Industrial Innovation on Science and Technology (No.30 Regulation of Suzhou Municipal Committee in 2016), Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on the Implementation of Ten Key Projects Concerning Innovative Development (No.68 Regulation of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2017). Cooperation between foreign-invested enterprises, research institutions, and local universities, scientific research institute, SOEs and private enterprises will be backed, thus they will be able to participate in key governmental projects in terms of scientific research and engineering jointly, and to apply for planned projects concerning scientific development of various kinds. Foreign R&D institutions with technology and achievements of the intellectual property rights will be encouraged to conduct transaction on the local technology trading platform. We will further strengthen the weighted deduction of research and development expenses for foreign-invested enterprises, as well as the taxation incentives, project support, and operational facilitation for high-tech enterprises, research centres. (Responsible Departments: Bureau of Science and Technology of Suzhou, Development and Reform commission of Suzhou, Economy and Information Technology Commission of Suzhou, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security of Suzhou, Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Bureau of Education of Suzhou, Suzhou Municipal Tax Service, State Administration of Taxation, Tax Service of SIP, Bureau of Suzhou Municipal Taxation, Suzhou Customs District, Customs of SIP, Customs District of Zhangjiagang, Suzhou Municipal Office of Financial Work, People’s Bank of China Suzhou Branch)
(5) Promoting the economic development of the headquarters of foreign-invested enterprises. We will further enhance the support of policies made by two headquarters (Jiangsu Provincial Government and Suzhou Municipal Government): Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Department of Finance of Jiangsu Province and Department of Commerce of Jiangsu Province on Encouraging Multinational Corporations in Setting Regional Headquarters and Functional Institutions Forwarded by General Office of Jiangsu Provincial Government (No.79 Regulation of General Office of Jiangsu Provincial Government in 2015), Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on the Policy for Promoting the Economic Growth of Headquarters (No.1 Regulation of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2016), Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on the confirmation of headquarters enterprises and means of management (No.2 Regulation of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2016). Thus, we can attract the multinational corporations to setting regional headquarters and various functional institutions. We will provide foreign-funded headquarters enterprises with supportive non-financial measures in terms of personnel entry and exit, employment permission, long-term residence, medical and educational social security, advanced talent introduction, commercial matters, Customs, inspection, taxation, foreign business and other regulatory modes. (Responsible Departments: Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Development and Reform Commission of Suzhou, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, Suzhou Talent Office, Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security of Suzhou, Foreign Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Foreign Affairs Office of SIP, Bureau of Education of Suzhou, Suzhou Administration for Industry & Commerce, Administrative Examination and Approval Authority of SIP, Suzhou Municipal Tax Service, State Administration of Taxation, Tax Service of SIP, Bureau of Suzhou Municipal Taxation, Suzhou Customs District, Customs District of SIP, Customs District of Zhangjiagang, Suzhou Municipal Office of Financial Work, Bureau of Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine of Suzhou, People’s Bank of China Suzhou Branch, and State Administration of Foreign Exchange Suzhou Branch)
(6) Increasing sources and existing forms of foreign investment effectively. We will give support to qualified regions in implementing the pilot program for the access of foreign-invested equity investment enterprises (namely foreign investment PE, partnership, and corporation system), and in utilizing offshore capital to increase funds for venture capital and private equity. We will encourage foreign-invested enterprises to participate in mixed ownership reforms of SOEs through joint venture and cooperation, merger and acquisition and so on. Administrative services of “high speed for the whole process” will be provided for foreign-invested enterprises in terms of ownership enlargement. In accordance with national regulations, tax exemption and favourable policies will be accessible to capital increase projects which are categorized as supportive items. We will support domestic investment body of the city to introduce essential factors including international markets, brands, channels, exclusive technology rights, management structure, venture capital through cross-border M&A, Cross-Border Listing, and compliance-based Round—tripping Capita, etc. Foreign-invested enterprises are encouraged to invest our city by means of intangible assets: offshore RMB, self-owned equity, intellectual property rights, etc. We will support foreign-invested enterprises to reinvest national capital enterprises, or to set up branches, business outlets, cooperative institutions, etc. (Responsible Departments: Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Development and Reform commission of Suzhou, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, Bureau of Science and Technology of Suzhou, Suzhou Administration for Industry & Commerce, Administrative examination and approval authority of SIP, Suzhou Municipal Office of Financial Work, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, Suzhou Municipal Tax Service, State Administration of Taxation, Tax Service of SIP, Bureau of Suzhou Municipal Taxation, Municipal governments and district governments, the Administrative Committees of SIP and Suzhou National Hi-Tech District, Free Trade Zone of Zhangjiagang, and the Administrative Committees of National Economic and Technological Development Zones.)
(7) Promoting introducing talents. Policies made by People's Government of Suzhou and the CPC Suzhou Municipality, which includes Notice of the Issuance of People's Government of Suzhou and the CPC Suzhou Municipality on policy for further promoting the priority given to talents (No.28 Regulation of the CPC Suzhou Municipality in 2016), Notice of the Implementation on Plans of Innovative and Entrepreneurial Talents of Gusu Forwarded by General Office of the CPC Suzhou Municipal Committee and the General Office of the People's Government of Suzhou Municipality (No.95 Regulation of the General Office of the CPC Suzhou Municipality in 2016) etc., are equally accessible to qualified external talents and innovation and pioneering teams. Supportive pilot policies will be shared by foreigners and their spouses, including housing, medical treatment, income tax, children’s education, residing, and entry-exit. We will enhance the projects in terms of dual system of vocational education cooperation and of schools of Sino-foreign cooperative education. Also, we will deepen the implementation on recruiting policies for youth from Taiwan region and foreign countries. (Responsible Departments: Suzhou Talent Office, Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security of Suzhou, Bureau of Science and Technology of Suzhou, Bureau of Public Security of Suzhou, Bureau of Education of Suzhou, Foreign Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Foreign Affairs Office of SIP, and Suzhou Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office)
（8）System of fair competition should be established. We should make sure that foreign investment can enjoy fair treatment in the aspects of scientific research innovation, technological transformation, industrial upgrading, expansion of management function, talent introduction, protection of intellectual property, participation in standardization and application for licenses and qualification. We should act quickly to adjust and improve local documents violating fairness and openness. Review system for fair competition should be further implemented. Enforcement against antimonopoly and unfair competition should be improved and strict measures should be taken to punish commercial bribery. Fair participation in standardization of Chinese and foreign-invested enterprises should be promoted. In accordance with the Notice of the Issuance of Suzhou Municipal Committee of the CPC and Suzhou Municipal Government on further Reforming the Implementation Plan for integrating the Public Resources Transaction Platform (No. 42 [2016] of the Suzhou Municipal Government Office), reform on government procurement should be deepened, national treatment in the field of public resource transaction should be granted to all honest foreign-funded enterprises.
We will give full play to Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on the Implementation of promoting the Public-Private Partnership Model in Public Service (No. 127 [2016] of the Suzhou Municipal Government Office), giving equal opportunities to all investors and encouraging foreign investment to participate in public projects. (Responsible Departments: municipal governments and district governments, the Administrative Committee of SIP and Suzhou National Hi-Tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, the Administrative Committees of National Economic and Technological Development Zones, Legal Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, Development and Reform Commission of Suzhou, Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security of Suzhou, Bureau of Land and Resources of Suzhou, Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural development of Suzhou, Bureau of Government Offices Administration of Suzhou, Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Bureau of Industry and Commerce of Suzhou, Administrative Examination and Approval Bureau of SIP, Bureau of Market Regulation of SIP, Bureau of Prices of Suzhou, Health and Family Planning Commission of Suzhou, Bureau of Science and Technology of Suzhou, Suzhou Central Sub-branch of Administration of Foreign Exchange, Bureau of Intellectual Property Rights of Suzhou, the Quality and Technology Supervision Bureau of Suzhou )
(9) Strict measures should be taken to protect the intellectual property rights of foreign-invested enterprises. Implement fully the Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Committee of the CPC and Suzhou Municipal Government on Accelerating the Building of Suzhou into an Intellectual Property Power (No.12 [2012] Suzhou Municipal Committee of the CPC). We have the Patent Examination Cooperation Jiangsu Centre of the Patent Office, CNIPA, cross-jurisdictional Intellectual Property Court, advanced intellectual property services and other vehicles. With unique strengths mentioned, we can improve our mechanism, promote system construction, strengthen law enforcement and the protection of intellectual property rights of foreign-invested enterprises. Support should be offered to foreign-invested enterprises to declare programs enjoying policy support from relevant plans about intellectual property rights in Suzhou. Equal support should also be given to these enterprises to carried out intellectual property rights pledge loan. We will further improve the mechanism for international cooperation concerning intellectual property rights. We encourage relevant international organizations to set up mediation agencies in National Intellectual Property Services Cluster Development Demonstration Zone of Suzhou. (Responsible Departments: Bureau of Intellectual Property Rights of Suzhou, Bureau of Industry and Commerce of Suzhou, Suzhou Municipal Intermediate Court, Suzhou Customs, Customs of SIP, Zhangjiagang Customs, Council for the Promotion of International Trade of Suzhou, municipal governments and district governments, the Administrative Committees of SIP and Suzhou National Hi-Tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, the Administrative Committees of National Economic and Technological Development Zones.)
(10) Channels for foreign-invested enterprises to obtain financing should be expanded. Implement fully the Notice of the Issuance of Action Plan (2015-2020) of Suzhou Municipal Government on on the Independent Innovation of Enterprises Supported by Suzhou Finance (No.136 [2015] Suzhou Municipal Government). We will guide financial institutions to expand their credit in order to support foreign-invested projects and innovate the model for credit extension and loan granting. Besides, we will set up reasonable guarantee form, terms of loans and repayment methods. (Responsible Departments: Finance Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Development and Reform Commission of Suzhou, Suzhou Central Sub-branch of People’s Bank of China, Suzhou Central Sub-branch of Administration of Foreign Exchange, Suzhou Branch of China Banking Regulatory Commission, Suzhou Branch of China Insurance Regulatory Commission, Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou)
(11) Operating cost of foreign-invested enterprises should be reduced. Put into practice the Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on the Intensive Use of Resources of Industrial Enterprises (No.167 [2016] Suzhou Municipal Government). Based on the comprehensive evaluation and scientific classification of enterprises, we will take advantage of differentiated services in the field of urban land use tax, prices of electricity, energy and water, sewage treatment, the compensation for the use of emission rights, administrative charges and other charges about management and services. As a result, we can better help foreign-invested enterprises lower their costs and ease their burden. Implement fully and pilot the policy of Exempting Expenses of Lifting, Translocation and Storage from Foreign Trade Enterprises Found to be of No Problem in Inspection and Quarantine. We will take active measures to issue certificate of Chinese fiscal resident for foreign-invested enterprises and make it more convenient for them to enjoy treatment stipulated in tax treaties. We support the job training offered by foreign-invested enterprises to their employees and grant training subsidies to eligible enterprises in accordance with regulations like Measures of Carrying out Vocational Training for Migrant Workers in Suzhou (No.49 [2012] Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security of Suzhou) and Notice on Granting Vocational Training Subsidies to Labour with Local Household Registration (No.39 [2013] Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security of Suzhou). (Responsible Departments: municipal governments and district governments, the Administrative Committees of SIP and Suzhou National Hi-Tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, the Administrative Committees of National Economic and Technological Development Zones, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, Bureau of Administration of Taxation of Suzhou, Bureau of Administration of Taxation of SIP, Suzhou Local Taxation Bureau, Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security of Suzhou, Bureau of Land and Resources of Suzhou, Bureau of Environment Protection of Suzhou, Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Bureau of Education of Suzhou, Bureau of Science and Technology of Suzhou, Suzhou Customs, Customs of SIP, Zhangjiagang Customs, Suzhou Power Supply Company, Suzhou Water Group)
(12) The management of foreign exchange and external debt should be improved. We will improve the foreign exchange management of foreign-invested enterprises to increase their overseas financing capacity and ease of operating foreign exchange. We will popularize and implement the system of discretionary settlement of foreign exchange receipts under the capital account (including foreign exchange capital, external debt and funds recovered from overseas listing), and under this system settlement can be handled based on the real need of enterprises. We will make further efforts to promote the centralized operation of domestic and foreign currency of transnational cooperation in Suzhou and offer support to trials in which foreign-funded entities can raise foreign debt by themselves or participate in the macroprudential management of foreign debt within the difference between investment and registered investment. We will deepen and expand the pilots of innovative cross-border Renminbi business and Qualified Foreign Limited Partner. (Responsible Departments: Suzhou Central Sub-branch of People’s Bank of China, Suzhou Central Sub-branch of Administration of Foreign Exchange, Finance Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou)
3. Push forward investment for the new era.
（13）The awareness of responsibility should be strengthened. We should always remember that open economy is the primary economy of Suzhou and utilize foreign fund is of primary importance to open economy. To better take advantage of foreign fund, we will implement the Notice of the Issuance of Opinion of Suzhou Municipal Government on Strengthening Investment Promotion (No.282 [2016] General Office of Suzhou Municipal Government) and give overall guidance to this issue. We encourage leaders at all levels to attach more importance to consciousness of responsibility in the field of foreign investment. Based on reality, we will innovate the mechanism promoting foreign investment project; the mechanism guaranteeing factors of production; the mechanism to streamline administration, delegate government power, strengthen regulation and improve services; the mechanism encouraging people to get progress and finally surpass their peers through competition and ceaseless learning. We will enhance the index evaluation and set up “ranking list” and “report card”, linking the actual utilization of foreign capital with development accountability and performance evaluation of relevant areas. All regions should further improve mechanism for the appraisal of foreign capital and set up scientific standard to evaluate foreign capital. We will incorporate indicators that can reflect the scale, quality and efficiency of foreign capital into comprehensive performance appraisal system of local government, improving the weights of its performance evaluation. We will establish and further improve the notification, inspection, appraisal, motivation and admonition system to strengthen the implementation of accountability system and to promote results-oriented actions. (Responsible Departments: municipal governments and district governments, the Administrative Committees of SIP and Suzhou National Hi-Tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, the Administrative Committees of National Economic and Technological Development Zones, General Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Performance Evaluation Office of Suzhou, Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou)
(14) Policy to encourage and expand investment should be supported. We support industrial zone of different kinds and at different levels to formulate and release preferential policies to bring in investment with permission of policies and laws. Besides, according to their actual needs, these industrial zones can support key industries and projects making great contributions to the development of economy and innovation of technology. We will adopt “one deliberation for one project” policy for key foreign investment projects which are of benefit to industrial upgrading and innovation in Suzhou. Special preferential policies shall be formulated through joint research at the municipal and county (municipal, district) level. We will adopt a multipronged approach to improve the survival and development environment for existing foreign capital by giving full support to projects beneficial to capital increase and capacity expansion and by offering fairness and facilitation policy in the aspects of production capacity upgrading, technology advancement, function expansion, talents bring-in and market competition. We will take targeted measures to promote foreign capital increment. The self-determination right such as “one policy for one industry”, “one policy for one enterprise” and “one deliberation for one item” for key industries and projects of all regions will be continuously supported. Development zones in different regions and relevant departments should strengthen their competitive consciousness and attach more importance to targeted and differentiated policies, taking proper measures to encourage high quality industries and important projects to establish their presence in Suzhou. We will take the following measures to strengthen the cooperative guarantee of policy: enrich the source of land and house supply; guarantee the implementation of tax-related preferential policies; implement result-oriented environmental protection policies and prevent “one-cut-for-all measures”; optimize supervision process to support the construction of the Belt and Road. We will increase the legitimacy of policies and credibility of government. In accordance with relevant state regulations, policies should be formulated and released in strict compliance with rules and procedures and effective guidance should be given to the compliance review of policies. We will try hard to maintain the stability, transparency and predictability of policies and protect the interest of foreign-invested enterprises and investors in accordance with laws. (Responsible Departments: municipal governments and district governments, the Administrative Committees of SIP and Suzhou National Hi-Tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, the Administrative Committees of National Economic and Technological Development Zones)
(15) The way of operating market-based investment should be explored. We support all regions to gradually promote the de-administration in investment through reform and introduce market-based way of bringing in investment. We will innovate and explore the operation mode of state-owned capital’s participation in cooperate investment institutions. Pathways about maintenance and appreciation of state-owned capital, allocation and withdrawal mechanism should also be innovated. Support will be given to government investment to conduct market reform and expand its functions. We encourage government funds and municipal state-owned enterprises to take part in the financing and operation of industrial investment enterprises and relevant funds set to guide investment through purchase of shares, cooperation and other ways. We support the establishment of industrial investment alliance and think tanks handling investment affairs. Third-party service can be purchased to strengthen research concerning investment. (Responsible Departments: Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Development and Reform commission of Suzhou, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Suzhou, People’s Government of Kunshan and Wujiang District, the Administrative Committee of SIP)
(16) Investment promotion should be intensified. Activities will be undertaken to promote economic and trade investment. Suzhou Municipal Government should organize its officials to participate in major activities promoting investment at the provincial level, or it should hold activities at the municipal level. Such activities should be participated in or held at least twice a year. At least 5 activities about exchange and cooperation and exhibitions closely related to investment, bring-in of talents and international trade should be held and undertaken every year. Development zones at municipal, district and national level should organize at least 20 major activities at home and abroad to promote the economic and trade investment. The organization, management and evaluation of investing activities should be strengthened. Targeted exchange among transnational enterprises will be carried out. We will take active measures to promote and popularize trade shows like China Import Expo, Kunshan, Suzhou China, Entire Week for International Elite. We encourage all regions to establish their own platform to display investment information, platform for online investment and platform to show their investment environment online and to promote investment by using and diversifying the means of information. We will give full play to mechanism such as the New Council of SIP and Inter-provincial and Inter-ministerial Joint Meeting of Strengthening Cross-Straits Cooperation, Kunshan. With the support from agencies concerning investment promotion of the Ministry of Commerce and the Department of Commerce of Jiangsu Province, and under the help of cooperation between Singapore and Jiangsu Province, between Hong Kong and Jiangsu Province, and between Jiangsu Province and Macao and other Portuguese-speaking countries, we can further deepen the cooperation for investment attraction. We hope that relevant departments make full use of their own functions and act as channels to organize or participate in international conferences, events, exhibition, forum or industry activities; We will approach transnational enterprises and international organizations; we will develop scientific, technological and cultural exchanges and encourage communication with our sister cities; we will take full advantage of foreign affairs such as the visit by overseas industry organizations and investment institutions to expand our investment resources and network. (Responsible Departments: Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Foreign Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal Government (Hong Kong & Macao Office), Taiwan Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal Committee of the CPC, Overseas Chinese Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, Council for the Promotion of International Trade of Suzhou, departments concerned, municipal governments and district governments, the Administrative Committees of SIP and Suzhou National Hi-Tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, the Administrative Committees of National Economic and Technological Development Zones)
(17) Strengthen the development of open platforms and carriers. In respond to the requirements stipulated in documents including Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on Promoting the Assessment and Guidance on Development Zones across Suzhou to Accelerate the Innovation-driven Development (No.135 Issuance of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2016) and Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on Establishing New Industrial Platforms to Drive the New Development (No.158 Issuance of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2016), we should speed up the work of constructing the various robust industrial clusters and industrial parks in development zones at all levels and making integration and innovations in the special supervised areas by the customs, extend the functions of the comprehensive bonded zone to ports and harbours, promote and spread the pilot projects of diversification trade and general VAT taxpayers qualification pilot projects to the comprehensive bonded zones across Suzhou. We should strive for becoming “Suzhou Pilot Zone of China Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau” by means of optimizing the access to the special experimental goods co-developed by biomedical industries across the world, making trial implementation of the integrated whit list system, carrying out the new administration on the maintenance, test and monitor of imported goods and innovating the cross-border electronic commerce risk management model in the zone. We should encourage foreign-invested enterprises to involve in the construction and management of characteristic towns and enable them to enjoy the preferential policies with domestic enterprises. We should continue to carry forward the state pilot projects, absorb and apply the opening-up experience from the free trade zone and introduce its functions. (Responsible Departments: municipal governments and district governments, Suzhou Industrial Park, Administrative Committee of Suzhou National High-tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, Administrative Committee of Economic and Technological Development Zone at national level, Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Bureau of Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine of Suzhou, Development and Reform Commission of Suzhou, Economy and Information Technology Commission of Suzhou, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, Bureau of Science and Technology of Suzhou, Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security of Suzhou, Bureau of Planning of Suzhou, Bureau of Land and Resources of Suzhou, Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Suzhou, Bureau of State Taxation of Suzhou, Bureau of State Taxation in Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou Customs, Customs of SIP, Zhangjiagang Customs)
(18) Strengthen the support for the land using of foreign-funded projects. The foreign-invested enterprises should have an equal access to the relevant preferential land policies with the domestic enterprises. We should give priority to supplying land for foreign-funded industrial projects that are defined by the government as priority industries including advanced manufacturing industries and as projects of intensive land use, and can set up the land leasing price as the price which is less than 70% of the lowest standard price of the industrial land of the same level in the region. We should give priority to distributing newly-added construction land to those projects that are listed into the annual major investment projects at provincial and municipal level. We should put into effect Opinions of General Office of Jiangsu Provincial Government on Guidance on Reforming Ways of Supplying Industrial Land and Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Upgraded Enterprises (No.93 Issuance of General Office of Jiangsu Provincial Government in 2016) and Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on Implementing the Flexible Annual Transfer of the Industrial Land of Suzhou (No.11 Regulation of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2016) by refining the classification and access standard of industrial land and the input-output requirements as well as taking multiple methods of long-term lease, integration of lease and transfer, flexible transfer, industrial transformation and updating, reformation of the second industry, transformation of the second industry to the third industry to expand the extra land sources. We should guide more plants to open their land resource to the foreign investment and activate the stock resources. We should encourage the foreign investment projects to utilize the stock land resources. Counties(cities and districts) may also base on their realities, implement different leasing policies on foreign investment projects that are of intensive land use and that are encouraged by the government. Those foreign-invested enterprises that are in compliance with the planning and security requirements, that have not changed the land uses, that have renovated and added stories to the original plants to increase the plot ratio, should not be imposed on increased land price. Policies by the municipal government on the intensive resource utilization of industrial enterprises and the redevelopment of construction land that are of low efficiency should be applicable to foreign-invested enterprises. With regard to the foreign-invested enterprises that implement the “separation of main industry from the supplementary industry” and transform to the modern service industry, that meet requirements of planning and other requirements, we should help them go through the procedures of land use in accordance with Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on Promoting the Redevelopment of the Inefficient Construction Land and the Comprehensive Utilization of the Land (No.60 Issuance of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2017). According to the requirements in Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on the Implementation of the Special Project Construction Land Transfer of Service Industries of Suzhou (No.217 Issuance of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2011), we should support the land use for three types of special service industry projects including research on science and education, cultural creativity and headquarters economy. (Responsible Departments: Bureau of Land and Resources of Suzhou, Land Reserve Centre of Suzhou, Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Suzhou, Bureau of Planning of Suzhou, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, municipal governments and district governments, Suzhou Industrial Park, Administrative Committee of Suzhou National High-tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, Administrative Committee of Economic and Technological Development Zone at national level)
(19) Improve the government services. We should fully implement the management mode of Pre-establishment National Treatment plus Negative List and improve the management of records establishment and modification of foreign-invested enterprises. The reform of local business system should be deepened and the unified capital registration system which is applied to foreign-invested enterprises and domestic enterprises except that those are stipulated in the relevant laws and administrative regulations should be implemented. We should put into effect the policies and measures stipulated in Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on Strengthening the Interim and Ex-post Regulatory System after the Reform of the System of Business License Application before Approval (No. 6 Issuance of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2016), Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of Suzhou Municipal Government on Introducing Flexible Policies on Registration Requirements for the Spots (Sites for Business Operations ) of Market Entities (No.126 Issuance of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2016) and Notice by General Office of Suzhou Municipal Government of the Issuance of the Work Program of Accelerating the Involvement in the “One Piece of Net” of the Provincial Administrative Services (No.70 Issuance of General Office of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2017), which will facilitate the registration and the cancellation of registration of foreign investment entities. We should carry out the parallel handling throughout the government services, improve the “One-Window” mechanism, accelerate the establishment of information exchanging and sharing mechanism among departments and upgrade the level of the administration information system of the foreign investment. We should propel the establishment of “Single-Window” mechanism for the international trade and the pilot projects of “Integration of Multiple Assessments” including “Regional Assessment of the Environment and Energy Consumption plus Block Standard of the Environment and Energy Consumption”. We should call on the foreign investment (enterprises) service institutions to provide the “Proxy Service”. Catering to the requirements of deepened openness, we should strengthen the work of the leading group joint meeting of the open economy across Suzhou by integrating the functional departments including Bureau of Planning of Suzhou, Bureau of Land and Resources of Suzhou, Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Suzhou and departments that are in charge of finance, education, tourism, culture and health into the consultation mechanism, enhancing the overall planning and perfecting the implementation mechanism of the major foreign investment projects. We should enhance the coordination services for the major foreign investment projects and provide services throughout the production and operation of foreign-invested enterprises. We should further implement the guidance in Notice of the Transmission by General Office of Suzhou Municipal Government of the Notice of Further Regulating the Business Trip Services and Promoting Open Development (No.177 Issuance of General Office of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2016), improve the measures for facilitating the approval of going abroad for attracting investment, increase the support for groups that are on an actual mission of going abroad to attract investment, implement a flexible policy of the overseas business visit qualification and frequency on those people who are occupied with promoting economic and trade and attracting investment to ensure the open development of economic, trade and foreign investment activities and services. (Responsible Departments: municipal governments and district governments, Suzhou Industrial Park, Administrative Committee of Suzhou National High-tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, Administrative Committee of Economic and Technological Development Zone at national level, Units of Leading Group on Open Economy Development of Suzhou, Commission Office for Public Sector Reform of Suzhou, Administrative Affairs Office of Suzhou, Bureau of Industry and Commerce of Suzhou, Foreign Affair Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Financial Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Bureau of Education of Suzhou, Bureau of Tourism of Suzhou, Bureau of Culture, Broadcast and Publication of Suzhou, Population and Family Planning Commission of Suzhou, Bureau of Planning of Suzhou, Bureau of Land and Resources of Suzhou, Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Suzhou)
(20) Improve the interim and ex-post regulatory system. We should establish and implement the supervision and inspection system of records establishment and modification of foreign-invested enterprises, promote the establishment of the information report publicity system of foreign-invested enterprises and dishonesty joint punishment mechanism, lift the level of joint supervision and comprehensive law enforcement. The trans-department information sharing of the credit rating of enterprises should be promoted and the inspection frequency of enterprises which are of high credit rating should be reduced. The role of the industry association, foreign-invested enterprises association, Taiwan enterprises association and the intermediaries should be put into play to build a comprehensive service system of foreign investment. We should establish an industry association of financing and leasing at municipal level and improve the management of the similar financial industry. We should promote the establishment of the coordination mechanism of foreign investment statistics and information analysis. (Responsible Departments: Units of Leading Group on Open Economy Development of Suzhou, Commission Office for Public Sector Reform of Suzhou, Supervision Bureau of Suzhou, Bureau of Industry and Commerce of Suzhou, Audit Bureau of Suzhou, Foreign Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Taiwan Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal Committee of the CPC)
(21) Strengthen the investment attraction team. We should ensure that the investment attraction institution have a fixed setting, enough finds and personnel. Measures applied in our city of giving priority to talents development, talents programs at national, provincial and municipal level and relevant policies should be applicable to the talents introduction and cultivation of the marketized investment attraction institution. Those people who are of good performance in the work of foreign investment in the city, districts and the development zone and the outstanding investment attraction personnel should be given priority in the promotion and awards and be commended. We should encourage the ways of increasing the budget of the special funds for education, increasing relevant training plans, providing help in inviting high-quality teachers and arranging temporary position exchanges and communications to promote the cultivation of professional investment attraction talents. (Responsible Departments: municipal governments and district governments, Suzhou Industrial Park, Administrative Committee of Suzhou National High-tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, Administrative Committee of Economic and Technological Development Zone at national level, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, Talent Office of Suzhou, Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security of Suzhou, Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Development and Reform Commission of Suzhou, Bureau of Education of Suzhou)
(22) Strengthen the assessment and encouragement of the foreign investment work. We should meet the requirements for strengthening the assessment of the foreign investment work in different regions stipulated in Notice of the Issuance of Opinions of General Office of Suzhou Municipal Government on Strengthening the Work of Foreign Investment (No.282 Issuance of General Office of Suzhou Municipal Government in 2016), strengthen the assessment of the performance of introducing foreign investment at municipal level. 50 million yuan should be appropriated each year to regions that push forward the work of foreign investment and have a good performance. The appropriation should be used in the work of foreign investment including introducing and promoting foreign investment. We should encourage the development zones in different regions and various development zones at national level to formulate or improve their assessment and awarding system of the foreign investment work and increase the funds for the foreign investment work; innovate the uses of block awarded funds legally. The Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou and financial sectors should fulfill their responsibility to supervise the use of the awarded funds of municipal level. (Responsible Departments: municipal governments and district governments, Suzhou Industrial Park, Administrative Committee of Suzhou National High-tech District, Administrative Committee of Taicang Port, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, Administrative Committee of Economic and Technological Development Zone at national level, General Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou, Bureau of Finance of Suzhou, Audit Bureau of Suzhou, Supervision Bureau of Suzhou)
(23) Develop a relationship between government and business featured in “close” and “honest and upright” in the new era. We should grasp and implement the requirements of Comrade Xi Jinping for developing a relationship between government and business, conduct the policy research and policy innovation, implement high standards of discipline, formulate the exemption regulation, call on to practice dedication spirit, strengthen the supervision and guidance of the work. We should guide leaders and personnel to bear the concept of building a close government-business relationship, grasp the idea of being close with business while remaining honest and upright, help enterprises solve problems and provide necessary services in accordance with laws and regulations. (Responsible Departments: municipal governments and district governments, Suzhou Industrial Park, Administrative Committee of Suzhou National High-tech District, Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, Administrative Committee of Economic and Technological Development Zone at national level, Supervision Bureau of Suzhou, Units of Leading Group on Open Economy Development of Suzhou, Bureau of Industry and Commerce of Suzhou, Foreign Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal Government, Taiwan Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal Committee of the CPC, Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal Government)
All cities, districts, development zones and relevant departments should implement this document promptly by drawing up effective measures based on the guidelines in this document and their realities to jointly improve the quality and efficiency of introducing investment and to promote the health and sustainable development of open economy of Suzhou. The General Office of Suzhou Municipal Government as well as the relevant departments including Bureau of Commerce of Suzhou and Development and Reform Commission of Suzhou should supervise, track and assess the implementation to ensure each policy is implemented.
Issued on June 20th, 2017
