Better biz climate prioritized

High-rises dominate the skyline on both sides of the Huangpu River in Shanghai. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

Cabinet meeting stresses work to foster market-oriented, law-based environment

China will continue to ramp up efforts to optimize the business environment in a bid to further boost confidence and stimulate market vitality, the State Council, the country's Cabinet, said on Friday.

Premier Li Qiang chaired the State Council executive meeting on Friday to hear an inspection and research report by the General Office of the State Council on optimizing the business environment.

The meeting highlighted that improving the business environment will be key to boosting social confidence, igniting market vitality and enhancing future development momentum.

Emphasis was placed on stressing sustained efforts to foster a market-oriented, law-based and world-class business environment, and it is imperative to yield tangible results in such endeavors, the meeting said.

Relevant departments and local authorities were urged to pay close attention to issues identified during the inspection and research process. The key focus should be placed on promoting fair competition, safeguarding legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, dismantling market barriers, expanding opening-up and optimizing government services.

To comprehensively address existing obstacles and difficulties, the meeting called for the implementation of practical and effective measures. Efforts should be made to enhance monitoring and supervision with timely follow-up inspections to ensure all identified problems are rectified promptly.

Opinions and suggestions collected during the inspection and research work will be analyzed and studied by relevant departments based on their respective responsibilities.

Yuan Da, deputy secretary-general of the National Development and Reform Commission — the nation's top economic regulator — said at a news conference earlier this month that private enterprises still face difficulties and hurdles, and the NDRC will ramp up efforts to support their development.

"We will help accelerate the legislative process for the private economy promotion law," Yuan said. "More efforts will be made to further tackle issues faced by the private sector and create a better environment."

Zhang Ying, managing director of Dassault Systemes Greater China, said: "The Chinese government's recent initiatives to attract foreign investment and improve the business environment have bolstered our confidence in the market's potential. China's welcoming approach has drawn global enterprises to invest, develop and share in its economic growth."