Visitors interact with a home service robot during the World Smart Industry Expo 2025 in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Sept. 6, 2025. The World Smart Industry Expo 2025 kicked off on Friday in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, showcasing advanced achievements including AI rehabilitation systems, portable wearable devices, elderly care robots, and senior-friendly equipment. Photo: Xinhua

China's foreign investment authorities has vowed to continue expanding market access and widening opening-up, with a stronger focus on services sector cooperation with overseas investors in the new year.

Wang Ya, an official heading the foreign investment management department under the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), said on Monday during a press conference that the country will be steadfast in pursuing high-level opening-up and work to build new advantages in attracting foreign investment. 

China will deepen reforms to its foreign investment promotion framework, further enhance the "Invest in China" brand, and fully advance the upgrading strategy for pilot free trade zones, laying a solid foundation to achieve a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), said Wang.

Wang said that the ministry will expand market access and the scope of opening-up with a focus on the services sector, while steadily advancing autonomous opening-up in areas such as telecommunications, healthcare and education. 

Efforts will be made to accelerate the roll-out of some pilot programs, support foreign-invested service companies in extending their value chains and achieving more specialized, integrated development, and promote capacity expansion and quality upgrading in the services industry. In those sectors already opened, China will ensure that foreign investors are not only granted market access but are also able to operate accordingly, Wang said.

Preferential policies for foreign investment were also highlighted. The official said the ministry will provide equal support for foreign-funded enterprises to participate in efforts to boost consumption, as well as in government procurement and bidding activities, helping them establish a long-term presence and pursue sustained growth in China.

In addition, the ministry said it will continue to improve the supportive framework for foreign investment services, closely addressing the concerns of foreign-funded enterprises and optimizing related services for them.

China will steadily optimize and adjust the regional layout and scope of its pilot free trade zones, providing broader space and more diverse platforms for pioneering trials. The country will continue to deepen alignment with high-standard international economic and trade rules and carry out institutional opening-up trials across wider areas, the official said.


Global Times