FTZs plan steps to simplify approvals

The four free trade zones in China are simplifying administrative procedures to attract more overseas Chinese businesses, FTZ officials said in Xiamen on Tuesday.

"There are more than 60 million Chinese overseas," said Tan Tianxing, deputy director of the overseas Chinese affairs office at the State Council, "They are a special driving force that will bring more business opportunities."

Cao Hongying, deputy director of the department of foreign investment administration of the Ministry of Commerce, said: "Free trade zones are the harbingers of economic and administrative reforms in China."

Prolonged administrative approval procedures have long been a pain in the neck for privately owned companies doing business in China. Simplifying these procedures has therefore become a focus for the newly established FTZs.

In Fujian FTZ, an Internet-based operating system has been introduced to allow companies to make online applications for administrative approvals.

"Some of the approvals can be granted in a day," said Zhong Muda, deputy director of the commerce department of Fujian.

Chen Guangjun, deputy director of the management committee of Guangdong FTZ, said: "An investment plan used to need more than 100 governmental approvals, go through at least 100 procedures and nearly 800 days for the necessary clearance. All the documents put together can be as long as 4 meters," said Chen.

The new system reduces procedures at Guangdong FTZ to around 12 from 100 earlier, said Chen.

At Shanghai FTZ, a single department handles the entire administrative approval process. A company that wants to enter the zone only has to fill out a single form and does not have to make frequent trips, according to Zhu Min, deputy director at the management committee of Shanghai FTZ

"The 'one department handles all' measure has made the approval process more transparent and reduced the time from 20 work days to just 4 days," said Zhu.

Jiang Guangjian, deputy director of the management committee of Tianjin FTZ, said: "In Tianjin FTZ, we have reduced the number of people involved in the approval process from more than 600 to around 100."

"Though I'm impressed with the FTZs' willingness to ease procedures, a lot of these policies are yet to be implemented," said Chan King-wai, board chairman of Hong Kong-based Kingworld Group.

Kingworld Group's portfolio includes real estate, finance, cross-border e-commerce and logistics. Chan, whose ancestral home is Guangdong, moved to Hong Kong in 1979. In 1989, he shifted his company's key business to the Chinese mainland.

yangziman@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/09/2015 page17)