Ten policies on foreign investment in Zhanjiang

Implementation opinions of Zhanjiang government on further expanding opening-up and utilizing foreign capital

1. Broaden the use of foreign capital

(1) Guide foreign investment to emerging industries

Foreign investment will be guided to advanced manufacturing industries such as modern steel, bio-pharmaceuticals, offshore equipment, shipbuilding, digital printing, and fine packaging, as well as major industrial projects such as fine chemicals, modern logistics, new energy, and new materials, and projects of high-end industries such as advanced equipment and manufacturing.

(2) Encourage foreign investment to the modern service industry

Foreign capital is encouraged to participate in the modern service industry of Zhanjiang city, with investment being put in key areas such as trade logistics, information services, modern finance, business exhibitions, marine services, cultural services, and tourism.

(3) Support foreign investment to participate in infrastructure construction

Foreign investment is encouraged in transportation, water conservation, environmental protection, infrastructure construction and the management of municipal public works, as well as for funding public services in partnership with Zhanjiang government, such as education, culture, pensions, and sports.

2. Increase financial support

(1) Increase financial incentives for foreign investment

New projects (excluding real estate, finance, and financial projects) with a real foreign investment amount (excluding foreign shareholder loans) established in Zhanjiang for more than $10 million and less than $50 million, capital increase projects of more than $5 million and less than $30 million, and multinational headquarters or regional headquarters with more than $5 million and less than $10 million, will be awarded at the proportion of the actual foreign investment in the year of not less than 2 percent, with a maximum reward of 5 million yuan ($744,824.29).

New projects established in Zhanjiang with a total annual foreign investment of more than $50 million, capital increase projects of more than $30 million, and multinational corporation headquarters or regional headquarters of more than $10 million, will enjoy the provincial financial incentives, and an additional municipal reward, which is about 10 percent of the provincial award, with a maximum of 1 million yuan.

3. Increase credit support

(1) Encourage credit financing

Encourage the financial sector to give positive credit support to qualified foreign-invested enterprises with strong competitiveness, great potential, and good credit history, and promote the patent pledge financing model of “loan+ insurance/guarantee+ financial risk compensation” to provide financing facilities for enterprises in need.

(2) Supporting direct financing

Encourage foreign-invested enterprises registered in Zhanjiang to be listed on the Main Board, SME Board, GEM and overseas. Foreign-invested enterprises registered in Zhanjiang enjoy the same policies of private enterprises on the listing of the New Third Board and the financing of regional equity markets.

4.  Strengthen land safeguards for foreign projects

(1) Implement preferential policies for land use for projects

Industrial projects with foreign investment will enjoy the relevant preferential land use policies in accordance with Opinions of Zhanjiang city on Further Promoting the Development of Private Economy.

(2) Guarantee the land for key foreign investment projects

The manufacturing projects with an actual foreign investment of more than 1 billion yuan, and the headquarters or regional headquarters of Fortune 500 firms and international industry-leading enterprises with self-built office facilities will be jointly arranged by the provincial and municipal governments.

(3) Encourage foreign-invested enterprises to lease industrial land

The lease price is determined according to the ratio of the lease term to the maximum period of industrial land transfer. The land lease contract and payment certificate signed with the land department can be used for handling planning, construction and other procedures. The buildings and structures on the ground and ancillary facilities can be sublet and mortgaged during the lease period.

5. Support the R&D innovation of foreign investment

(1) Support technical reform of foreign-invested enterprises

Promote foreign-invested industrial enterprises to carry out technological transformation. Foreign-invested enterprises that meet the requirements of national, provincial and municipal technical reforms and carry out intelligent transformation and equipment renewal can receive special awards for technical reforms arranged annually.

(2) Encourage independent R&D innovation of foreign-invested enterprises

Encourage foreign-funded enterprises to build R&D institutions such as engineering centers, enterprise technology centers, key laboratories, and innovation centers. Support innovative high-tech leading enterprises, start-up enterprises with core independent intellectual property rights, and small and medium-sized enterprises with science and technology. Enterprises recognized as a provincial-level new R&D institution shall, in addition to enjoying the provincial financial rewards, receive financial support from municipal finances in accordance with relevant regulations.

6. Enhance talent support to foreign investment enterprise

(1) Increase the introduction of specialized talents

Zhanjiang government will build high-level talents and innovative entrepreneurial teams, encourage the recruitment of overseas professionals in research institutes, schools and enterprises of Zhanjiang, and encourage enterprises to introduce talented managers from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

(2) Support high-level talents to start businesses in Zhanjiang

Support senior managers of foreign-invested enterprises, senior managers of regional headquarters, and high-level R&D personnel of foreign-invested R&D institutions in Zhanjiang to apply for Zhanjiang Talent Card. The card holders can enjoy preferential and convenient services in terms of innovation and entrepreneurship, project support, housing and medical security, household registration, cultural and sports activities, employment and school enrollment.

7. Reinforce intellectual property protection of foreign projects

(1) Protect intellectual property rights of foreign companies

Implement the special system of intellectual property protection for foreign-invested enterprises. High-tech enterprises and foreign invested enterprises whose patent application or holding quantity is more than 30 can be considered as municipal key enterprises of intellectual property rights protection.

(2) Create an intellectual property incentive mechanism

Eligible foreign-invested enterprises are welcome to apply for a patent in China, and inventions, discoveries and other scientific and technological achievements of the enterprises can participate in the evaluations of patent awards in line with regulations in Guangdong province.

8. Optimize foreign investment environment

(1) Optimize management system

Zhanjiang government will improve the supervision of foreign investment, establish the foreign investment management information platform and foreign investment information reporting system, implement the foreign investment approval system of entrusting some municipal direct examination and approval authority to the county level, and promote the centralized management of examination and approval services. 

(2) Optimize customs clearance cooperation

Zhanjiang will implement the reform of national customs clearance integration, build a public service information platform for port customs clearance, implement one-stop services, and strengthen the intelligent supervision of freight ports. Importing R&D equipment, reagents and samples for qualified foreign-invested R&D centers will simplify their import procedures in accordance with the law.

(3) Optimize the rule of law environment.

Zhanjiang will improve the complaints and coordination mechanism for foreign-invested enterprises, and solve the difficulties of foreign-invested enterprises, such as with production and operation problems, medical treatment, etc.

9. Optimize the use of foreign capital

(1) Optimize foreign capital carriers in key industry parks 

Support provincial-level development zones to be managed by the provincial industrial transfer park, and enjoy the related support policies as required. The newly established foreign investment projects in the provincial industrial transfer parks can enjoy the provincial industrial co-construction financial support policies. 

(2) Improve the foreign capital utilization competitiveness of industry parks

Encourage Zhanjiang Development Zone to issue targeted policies and measures, strengthen international industrial cooperation, expand the proportion of actual use of foreign capital in Zhanjiang Development Zone, and encourage industrial transfer industrial parks and development zones to conduct regional adjustment, expansion and integration.

10. Strengthen the work leadership of utilizing foreign capital

(1) Implement 'Top Leadership Project' of utilizing foreign investment

The main leaders of the city/district/county governments in Zhanjiang must shoulder the responsibility, establish and improve the mechanism for the promotion and supervision of the use of foreign capital, and regularly coordinate and resolve the key issues that restrict the use of foreign capital in the city. They should participate in the investment of major foreign-invested projects in person, hold regular meetings, and accelerate the implementation of major foreign investment projects.

(2) Strengthen support of investment promotion work

People who go abroad to carry out investment promotion work for key foreign-funded projects and key investment promotion activities, will enjoy convenience in handling procedures. Government at all levels in Zhanjiang will simplify the examination and approval procedures and shorten the processing procedures of Chinese managers in reputable and demanding foreign-funded enterprises that apply for APEC business travel cards and exit-entry permits for Hong Kong and Macao. Governments will also support and guarantee personnel organizations and work funds in conducting investment promotion activities due to going abroad.

(3) Expand investment promotion team

All levels of government in Zhanjiang will focus on investment promotion, major project services, high-profile event participation, and investment attraction research. A platform for overseas economic and trade exchanges and cooperation will be built, as well as an international investment promotion system that radiates globally.

This implementation shall be interpreted by the Zhanjiang municipal bureau of commerce and shall be valid until Dec 31, 2022.

This English version is only for reference. To learn more, please refer to the authoritative Chinese version on zhanjiang.gov.cn.