Reform will 'free hands' of businesses

Some pre-manufacture product licenses replaced by safety checks

China is cutting the number of products whose manufacture requires official licensing, the State Council decided at an executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday.

Nineteen categories of products, including water pipes and rechargeable batteries, will no longer need manufacturing licenses. The licenses required for electric blankets and motorcycle helmets will be replaced by the post-manufacture China Compulsory Certification, or safety certification, it was decided.