CHINA will roll out a guideline to better use foreign investment with a focus on safeguarding the national treatment of foreign-funded enterprises.

The guideline, which was adopted in principle by a State Council meeting Oct. 16, puts forward 20 policies to create a more “fair, transparent and predictable” business environment for foreign-invested enterprises, Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy China International Trade Representative Wang Shouwen said yesterday.

China will continue to reduce the negative list for foreign investment access in the national and pilot free trade zones, and comprehensively eliminate restrictions that are not on the negative list.

It will accelerate the opening up of the financial sector and optimize the foreign investment policies for automobiles, Wang said.

The country will optimize scientific and technological innovation services for foreign-invested enterprises, lower the cost of cross-border capital use, make it easier for foreigners to work in China and optimize the approval process for the use of land for foreign-funded projects.

To protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors, China will fully implement the foreign investment law, and establish and improve institutions for accepting complaints.

The guideline requires all local governments and departments to not discriminate against foreign-funded enterprises in the release of government procurement information, and to not restrict the ownership form, organizational form, equity structure or investor country, as well as the product or service brands of suppliers.

The Chinese Government has been committed to establishing a level playing field in the government procurement system, said Wang Shaoshuang, an official with the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

If foreign-funded enterprises are not treated equally, they may raise complaints with the procurer, and if the procurer fails to give a reply within the time limit, or if the supplier is dissatisfied with the reply, he or she may lodge a complaint with the financial department at the same level, said the MOF official.

To maintain a level playing field in the market, foreign-funded enterprises that do not participate in the government procurement can also report to the MOF if they find unfair practices, he said.(Xinhua)