Beijing

Sporting gesture: The Beijing Municipal Government is offering favourable tax policies to encourage the further development of the sports industry, in a bid to turn Beijing into an international sports centre.

Non-profit sports programmes will be supported and sports service projects will be introduced.

Favourable treatment will also be given to enterprises which sponsor sports organizations and activities.

Donations by social institutions and government departments for public sports facilities will be tax exempt.

Animal vigilance: An Animal Health Card will be promoted in Beijing as a part of efforts to contain disease outbreaks, according to sources from the Beijing Agricultural Bureau.

Regulations are now being drafted. Data on animals will be collected at epidemic prevention stations.

Regulatory moves: Supervision and management regulations on construction enterprises from outside Beijing are being publicized on the Beijing government web site in an effort to solicit public opinions till next month.

According to draft regulations, construction companies that have caused incidents disturbing social stability will be barred from tendering for projects between one and three years.

Workers' dorms of construction companies should be able to accommodate no more than 15 employees and the living area should have washing facilities, shower and hot water.

Shanghai

Credit flexibility: Shanghai residents are now able to apply for loans from the Bank of China (BOC) solely based on their credit records.

They could apply for amounts ranging from 10,000 yuan (US$1,210) to 100,000 yuan, according to the BOC Shanghai branch.

From this month, Chinese residents, including Chinese passport holders, people from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and foreigners with legitimate residency in Shanghai are eligible.

Loans will be granted based on credit records and repayment ability.

An applicant who proves the ability to repay but fails the credit check, could ask a third party to act as guarantor.

Liaoning

Marriage rules: Those planning to tie the knot will be able to do so with the registered permanent residence identification and ID card. New rules from the civil affairs bureau in Shenyang have done away with the requirement for the work unit's certification.

The certification of marriage status will be replaced by marriage vows.

Guangdong

Market access: Foreign construction firms, including those from Hong Kong and Macao, and other provinces can now enter the building business in the province.

Companies will no longer need to seek approval from the local construction supervision bureau. Instead they are only required to submit the relevant contract to the local government.

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