Premier Li Keqiang chaired an executive meeting of the State Council on September 26 to determine measures to promote the implementation of major foreign-invested projects, reduce import tariffs on some commodities, and accelerate customs clearance facilitation to promote a higher level of opening up to the outside world; listen to reports on some local African Report on the swine fever epidemic and prevention and control work, and put forward requirements for the next step of strengthening measures.
The meeting pointed out that in response to the current complex domestic and international situations and to maintain stable and healthy economic development, we must unswervingly expand opening up while continuing to expand domestic demand, implement a more proactive opening strategy, and create a fairer, more convenient, predictable, and more Attractive foreign investment environment. First, we must deepen the “delegation, regulation and service” reform. Outside the negative list, foreign capital and domestic capital will be treated equally, and consistent market access standards for enterprises of all types of ownership and an investment management system focusing on online filing will be implemented. Qualified foreign-invested projects will be included in the scope of major construction projects, or they will be included in relevant industrial plans at an accelerated pace according to application procedures, and support will be provided for land and sea use approvals, and the progress of environmental assessment approval will be accelerated, logistics costs will be reduced, and projects will be implemented as soon as possible. Second, we must expand the scope of encouraging foreign investment and expand the scope of application of the policy of temporarily exempting withholding income tax on foreign reinvestment from encouraged foreign investment projects to all non-prohibited projects and fields. Third, we must vigorously protect intellectual property rights and further standardize government supervision and law enforcement behaviors.
The meeting decided to adapt to the needs of industrial upgrading, reduction of enterprise costs and multi-level consumption of the masses. Starting from November 1 this year, the import tariff rate of 1,585 tax items of industrial products and other commodities will be reduced, and some domestic market demands will be reduced. The average tax rate on mechanical and electrical equipment such as construction machinery and instruments dropped from 12.2% to 8.8%; the average tax rate on textiles, building materials and other commodities dropped from 11.5% to 8.4%; the average tax rate on some resource commodities and primary processed products such as paper products dropped from 6.6% It will be reduced to 5.4%, and tax levels will be reduced for similar or similar goods. So far this year, tariff reduction measures have been introduced and are expected to reduce the tax burden on businesses and consumers by nearly 60 billion yuan. my country’s overall tariff level will drop from 9.8% last year to 7.5%.
The meeting decided to speed up the process of customs clearance facilitation. Before November 1 this year, the number of regulatory documents that need to be verified during the import and export process will be reduced from 86 to 48. To clean up illegal charges, all localities will publish a list of local port charges to the public before the end of October. No charges will be charged outside the list. Promote the reduction of compliance costs. Compliance costs for container import and export will be reduced by more than 100 US dollars during the year compared with last year, and large coastal ports should reduce them even further. Relevant departments should jointly supervise and supervise.
The meeting pointed out that since August, the African swine fever epidemic has spread in many provinces in my country. In accordance with the deployment of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, relevant departments and localities responded quickly and did a lot of work. At present, the epidemic has not spread. We must continue to do a good job in prevention and control without slacking off, and we must not take it lightly. First, prevention and control responsibilities must be strictly implemented, and local governments must take overall responsibility for animal epidemic prevention within their jurisdiction. It is necessary to supervise and guide the epidemic areas to resolutely implement measures such as culling, disinfection, and harmless treatment. The use of swill to feed pigs in epidemic-affected provinces and surrounding provinces is prohibited. Strengthen the investigation and tracking of the epidemic source, and strictly implement the monitoring and reporting system. Carry out comprehensive prevention and control, vaccine research and development and other key technical research. Second, we must strengthen joint prevention and control and strictly guard against the epidemic in all aspects. Strengthen the supervision of pig production areas, slaughter and quarantine and transportation vehicles, and provide special support from the central government. Pigs from the affected provinces and neighboring provinces are not allowed to leave the province, and pigs transported from other places are not allowed to pass through the affected provinces to cut off transmission routes and resolutely prevent diseased pork from entering the market. Third, we must ensure the supply of pork and ensure people’s daily needs and food safety.
The meeting also discussed other matters.
