CHINA’S Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Finance jointly issued a notice on Monday outlining an action plan to stabilize and improve the utilization of foreign investment.
The move sent a positive signal to foreign businesses, once again reflecting China’s determination to provide an open and fair market environment for all companies, including foreign enterprises. A Chinese expert noted that key areas such as finance, pharmaceuticals and the digital economy are among the highlights of the plan.
Some representatives of foreign business community in China welcomed the notice as a positive signal for foreign businesses operating in the country.
Ling Ji, vice minister of commerce and deputy China international trade representative, said that to build new advantages in attracting foreign investment during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) period, they worked together with 27 government departments focusing on common concerns raised by foreign-invested enterprises.
Several measures were highlighted in the action plan.
In terms of expanding market access, China will further deepen the opening up of the services sector, such as expanding pilot programs allowing foreign participation in vocational skills training institutions and high-level universities in science; engineering, agriculture and medicine.
Efforts will also be made to improve the openness of the financial services sector, including supporting more foreign-funded institutions in using risk management tools such as treasury futures and strengthening financial risk management capabilities.
In addition, foreign investors will be encouraged to participate in the high-quality development of industries such as pharmaceuticals. Measures include further expanding pilot programs for opening up biotechnology and wholly foreign-owned hospitals to a wider range of regions.
To strengthen the service and support system, the government vows to fully implement national treatment for foreign-invested enterprises and enhance fair competition reviews in areas such as government procurement and bidding processes.
The number of foreign-invested enterprises in China has continued to grow, reaching 533,000 as of the end of 2025. This represented an average annual growth rate of 4.5 percent over the past five years, according to Ling.
In terms of their contribution to China’s economy since 2020, during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) period, foreign-invested enterprises contributed about 2.5 trillion yuan ($370 billion) in tax revenue annually, accounting for approximately one-seventh of the national total, said the vice commerce minister.
Foreign-invested enterprises in China have maintained an important role in taxation, employment and participation in industrial value chains, Hu Qimu, a professor at the Maritime Silk Road Institute of Huaqiao University, told the Global Times on Monday.
