SOEs given freedom to choose top execs

Pilot program also will allow companies to make decisions about investments

China will accelerate State-owned enterprise reform by giving these companies more freedom to invest, introduce private capital and choose top managers, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission announced on Tuesday.

The country will start a four-stage trial program involving six SOEs, and experience from this program will be used more broadly in the future, said Peng Huagang, director of the SASAC Research Bureau.

SOEs keep hold on Fortune 500

Top 10 overseas M&As by Chinese companies

The overall program will cover capital investment, the mixed-ownership model, the appointment of top executives and safeguards against corruption.

The agency picked the State Development & Investment Corp and China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corp as the pilot companies for State capital investment.

Zhou Fangsheng, vice-director of the China Enterprise Reform & Development Society, said the companies, both of which have established "mature investment structures", may take stakes in other SOEs.

Cofco said in a statement on Tuesday that it is working on a timetable for the trial. It has sought to establish a modern management system in recent years through mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and establishing a board of directors.

From 2005 to 2013, Cofco entered into 50 M&A deals with a total investment of 14.6 billion yuan ($2.35 billion).

Meanwhile, China National Building Materials Group and China National Pharmaceutical Group Corp will start pilot programs for mixed-ownership models.

Zhou said these two companies are in fully competitive industries, and they've made "great efforts" to introduce private capital in recent years.

Those two companies, plus China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group and Xinxing Cathay International Group, will get more freedom in choosing top executives.

Large SOEs' executives are traditionally appointed by the government.

China Telecom calls for investors	Power supplier will seek private capital