Ministry eases rules for foreign companies

The regulation on review and management of representative office of foreign enterprises in China was abolished, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement published on its official website.

The decision was made on Aug 21 and came into force from Sep 14.

The move aims to deepen reforms in streamlining administration, delegating power and optimizing services, said the ministry.

Against the backdrop of the government's promise to build an international and fair business environment to further attract foreign investment, the move will help improve business environment and boost the attraction of China for global investors.

The old regulation, released in 1995, included a slew of stringent rules for foreign enterprises, such as the need for written applications to establish representative offices in China and the need to register within 30 days when they received approvals, or the approval would be invalid.

In the first eight months, foreign direct investment (FDI) into China dropped 0.2 percent year-on-year to 547.94 billion yuan, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.