国务院关于鼓励投资开发海南岛的规定(附英文)

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国务院关于鼓励投资开发海南岛的规定(附英文)

国务院


国务院关于鼓励投资开发海南岛的规定(附英文)

1988年5月4日,国务院

规 定
第一条 为了吸收境内外投资,加快海南岛的开发建设,特制定本规定。
第二条 国家对海南经济特区实行更加灵活开放的经济政策,授予海南省人民政府更大的自主权。
第三条 国家鼓励境内外的企业、其他经济组织或者个人(以下简称投资者)投资开发海南岛,兴办各项经济和社会事业。
第四条 国家依法保护投资者的合法权益,对投资者的资产不实行国有化和征收,在特殊情况下,为社会公共利益的需要,对投资者的资产可以依照法律程序实行征收,并给予相应的补偿。
投资者必须遵守中国的法律、法规。
第五条 投资者可以下列方式在海南岛投资经营:
(一)投资举办中外合资经营企业、中外合作经营企业、外资企业(以下简称外商投资企业)以及法律允许的其他类型的企业。各类企业的经营期限,由投资各方在合同中约定或者经有关主管部门批准;
(二)购买股票、债券等有价证券;
(三)购买、参股经营或者承包、租赁经营企业;
(四)采用其他国际上通行的投资方式投资经营,开展经济技术合作和交流。
第六条 海南岛国家所有的土地实行有偿使用。
海南省人民政府可依法将国家所有土地的使用权有偿出让给投资者,土地使用权出让一次签约的期限根据不同行业和项目的具体情况确定,最长期限为七十年;期满后需要继续使用的,经批准期限可以延长。
投资者可以依照国家有关规定将取得的土地使用权有偿转让。
第七条 海南岛的矿藏资源依法实行有偿开采。国家规定的特定矿藏资源开采应报经国家主管部门批准,其他矿藏资源开采,由海南省人民政府批准。允许投资者以合资经营、合作经营和独资经营的方式进行勘探开采。
第八条 投资者可以合资、合作方式在海南岛投资从事港口、码头、机场、公路、铁路、电站、煤矿、水利等基础设施建设,也可以独资经营专用设施,并可依照国家有关规定投资经营与上述设施相关联的各类企业和服务事业,实行综合经营。
第九条 根据经济发展的需要,经中国人民银行批准,可以在海南岛设立外资银行、中外合资银行或者其他金融机构。
第十条 在海南岛投资兴办各项经济和社会事业,由海南省人民政府审查批准。但投资范围和投资总额超过国家授权海南省人民政府审批范围的,应当按照国家规定程序报批。
第十一条 获准举办的企业作为投资进口的建设物资、生产设备和管理设备,为生产经营进口的原材料、零配件、包装材料和其他物料以及自用的交通工具、办公用品,由海南省人民政府自行审批。
第十二条 在海南岛举办的企业(国家银行和保险公司除外),从事生产、经营所得和其他所得,均按15%的税率征收企业所得税,另按应纳税额附征10%的地方所得税。其中:
(一)从事港口、码头、机场、公路、铁路、电站、煤矿、水利等基础设施开发经营的企业和从事农业开发经营的企业,经营期限在十五年以上的,从开始获利的年度起,第一年至第五年免征所得税,第六年至第十年减半征收所得税;
(二)从事工业、交通运输业等生产性行业的企业经营期限在十年以上的,从开始获利的年度起,第一年和第二年免征所得税,第三年至第五年减半征收所得税,其中被海南省人民政府确认为先进技术企业的,第六年至第八年减半征收所得税;
(三)从事工业、农业等生产性行业的企业,在按照规定减免企业所得税期满后,凡当年企业出口产品产值达到当年企业产品产值70%以上的,当年可以减按10%的税率缴纳企业所得税;
(四)从事服务性行业的企业,投资总额超过五百万美元或者二千万人民币,经营期限在十年以上的,从开始获利的年度起,第一年免征所得税,第二年和第三年减半征收所得税。
对海南岛内的企业征收的地方所得税,需要给予减征或者免征所得税优惠的,由海南省人民政府决定。
第十三条 境外投资者在海南岛内没有设立机构而有来源于海南岛的股息、利息、租金、特许权使用费和其他所得,除依法免征所得税者外,均按10%的税率征收所得税。需要给予减征或者免征所得税优惠的,由海南省人民政府决定。
第十四条 在海南岛举办的外商投资企业和外商持有25%以上股份的企业均享有进出口经营权,其他企业经海南省人民政府批准也可以享有进出口经营权,进口本企业生产、经营必需的货物,出口本企业的产品。
第十五条 海南岛内的企业进口本企业建设和生产所必需的机器设备、原材料、零配件、交通运输工具和其他物料,以及办公用品,均免征关税、产品税或增值税。
海南岛内的企业进口供岛内市场销售的货物,减半征收关税、产品税或增值税。
第十六条 国家鼓励海南岛内的企业生产的产品出口。对企业生产的出口产品免征出口关税,除原油、成品油和国家另有规定的少数产品外,退还已征的产品税或增值税。
第十七条 海南岛内的企业生产的产品在岛内市场销售的,除矿物油、烟、酒和海南省人民政府规定的其他少数产品减半征收产品税或增值税外,其余免征产品税或增值税。含有进口料件的,按照第十五条的规定,免征或者补征进口料件的关税、产品税或增值税。
企业生产的产品销往境内其他地区,除国家限制进口的产品需按国家有关规定审批外,其余产品均可自主销售,但应照章征收产品税或增值税;含有进口料件的照章补征进口料件的关税、产品税或增值税。
海南岛内的外商投资企业的产品内销,符合国家以产顶进办法规定的,可以申请以产顶进。
第十八条 海南岛内的企业出口产品和从事其他经营活动取得的外汇收入,均可保留现汇,按当地中国人民银行的规定管理。
企业可以在海南岛或者境内其他地区的外汇调剂市场调剂外汇余缺、平衡收支。
第十九条 境外投资者从在海南岛投资举办的企业获得的利润,可以从企业的外汇存款帐户自由汇往境外,免缴汇出额的所得税。
境外投资者将从海南岛内的企业获得的利润,在境内再投资,期限不少于五年的,退还其再投资部分已缴纳所得税税款的40%;如果投资用于海南岛内的基础设施建设和农业开发企业、产品出口企业和先进技术企业,全部退还其再投资部分已缴纳的所得税税款。
境内投资者从海南岛内的企业获得的利润,可以自由汇往境内其他地区。汇往境内其他地区的利润,从开始获利的年度起十年内不再补缴所得税。
第二十条 凡与我国有外交关系或者官方贸易往来的国家或地区的外国人,到海南岛洽谈投资、贸易,进行经济技术交流、探亲、旅游,停留时间不超过十五天的,可临时在海口或三亚口岸办理入境签证手续;如有正当理由需要延长在海南岛内的停留期限或者转往境内其他地区,可按有关规定申请办理签证延期或加签手续。
在海南岛常驻的外国人、投资举办企业或者参加开发建设工作的外国人及其随行眷属,海南省人民政府有关部门可根据其申请,签发前往海南岛的多次入境签证。
第二十一条 香港、澳门、台湾同胞和华侨,凡持有国务院主管部门及其授权机关签发的有效护照或其他有效证件,前往海南岛及转往境内其他地区或者出境,无需办理签证。台湾同胞可以直接在海南岛的口岸申领《台湾同胞旅行证明》。
海南省的国内单位向境外派出经济、贸易、旅游机构,到境外举办企业,其人员出国,除国家另有规定者外,授权海南省人民政府审批。
第二十二条 本规定未尽事项,海南省人民政府可按照国家有关经济特区的规定办理。
本规定的实施办法,由国务院有关主管部门会同海南省人民政府制定。
第二十三条 本规定自发布之日起施行。

PROVISIONS OF THE STATE COUNCIL CONCERNING THE ENCOURAGEMENT OFINVESTMENT IN DEVELOPING HAINAN ISLAND

Important Notice: (注意事项)
英文本源自中华人民共和国务院法制局编译, 中国法制出版社出版的《中华人民
共和国涉外法规汇编》(1991年7月版).
当发生歧意时, 应以法律法规颁布单位发布的中文原文为准.
This English document is coming from "LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA GOVERNING FOREIGN-RELATED MATTERS" (1991.7)
which is compiled by the Brueau of Legislative Affairs of the State
Council of the People's Republic of China, and is published by the China
Legal System Publishing House.
In case of discrepancy, the original version in Chinese shall prevail.

Whole Document (法规全文)
PROVISIONS OF THE STATE COUNCIL CONCERNING THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF
INVESTMENT IN DEVELOPING HAINAN ISLAND
(Promulgated on May 4, 1988)
Article 1
These Provisions are formulated with a view to absorbing investment from
within and without so as to accelerate the development and construction of
Hainan Island.
Article 2
The State implements more flexible open economic policies for Hainan
Special Economic Zone and endows the People's Government of Hainan
Province with greater decision-making power.
Article 3
The State encourages enterprises, other economic organizations or
individuals at home and from abroad (hereinafter referred to as investors)
to invest in the development of Hainan Island and establish various
economic and social undertakings.
Article 4
The State shall protect investors' legitimate rights and interests
according to law, and shall not nationalize or requisition the assets of
the investors. Under special circumstances, where public interests call
for action, the State may resort to requisitioning in accordance with
legal procedures and due compensation shall be made. Investors shall
abide by China's laws and regulations.
Article 5
Investors may make investment and conduct operations on Hainan Island in
the following forms:
(1) making investment in establishing equity joint ventures, Chinese-
foreign contractual joint ventures, foreign-capital enterprises
(hereinafter referred to as enterprises with foreign investment) as well
as other kinds of enterprises permitted by law. The period of operation
for any kind of enterprise shall be specified in the contract by the
parties of investment through consultation or approved by the relevant
competent authorities;
(2) purchasing shares, bonds and other negotiable securities;
(3) operating enterprises through purchasing, holding shares, contracting
or leasing;
(4) investing and operating in the investment modes obtaining throughout
the world, conducting economic and technological cooperation and
exchanges.
Article 6
The use of State-owned land on Hainan Island shall be non-gratuitous. The
People's Government of Hainan Province may, according to law, grant non
gratuitously the right to the use of the State-owned land to investors.
The duration of right granted to land-use shall be laid down in the
contract in accordance with the specific conditions of different
industries and projects, with a maximum duration of 70 years; where there
is the need to continue using the land after the expiry of the contract,
the duration may be extended upon approval.
Investors may, in keeping with the relevant provisions of the State,
transfer non-gratuitously the right granted to land-use.
Article 7
Mineral resources on Hainan Island shall be exploited with compensation
according to law. The exploitation of some mineral resources specifically
designated by the State shall be subject to approval by the relevant
competent authorities of the State; the exploitation of other mineral
resources shall be subject to approval by the People's Government of
Hainan Province. Investors are allowed to explore and develop the mineral
resources by setting up equity joint ventures, contractual joint ventures,
or foreign-capital enterprises.
Article 8
Investors may, in the form of an equity or contractual joint ventures,
invest in the construction of infrastructure on Hainan Island such as
ports, wharves, airports, highways, railways, power stations, coal mines
and water conservancy projects or may also engage in facilities with
exclusive investment. They may also invest in various business and service
enterprises related to the above-mentioned facilities in accordance with
the relevant regulations of the State to undertake comprehensive
operations.
Article 9
Foreign-capital banks, banks with joint Chinese and foreign investment or
other financial institutions may be set up on Hainan Island with the
approval of the People's Bank of China in light of the needs of economic
development.
Article 10
The investment in the establishment of various economic and social
undertakings on Hainan Island shall be subject to examination and approval
by the People's Government of Hainan Province. Where the investment scope
and total amount exceed the authorization by the State, the investment
shall be submitted for examination and approval according to the
procedures laid down by the State.
Article 11
The importation of building materials, production and managerial equipment
as investment of an enterprise whose establishment has already been
approved, the importation of raw materials, accessories and parts,
packaging materials and other materials and items required for production
and operation, and the importation of means of transport and office
equipment for enterprise's own use, are to be examined and approved by the
People's Government of Hainan Province itself.
Article 12
The enterprise income tax shall be levied at a rate of 15 percent on the
income derived from production, operation and other sources by enterprises
established on Hainan Island (State banks and insurance companies
excepted). In addition, a local surtax of 10 percent of the assessed
income tax shall be levied. Among the above-said enterprises:
(1) those engaged in the construction and operation of infrastructures
such as ports, wharves, airports, highways, railways, power stations, coal
mines and water conservancy projects etc., and those involved in
agricultural development, with an operation period of 15 years or longer,
shall enjoy a five-year income tax exemption beginning from the first
profit-making year, and shall be granted a 50 percent reduction in income
tax from the sixth to the tenth year;
(2) those engaged in industrial, communications and transportation and
other production enterprises with an operation period of 10 years or
longer, shall enjoy a two-year income tax exemption starting from the
first profit-making year and shall then be granted a tax reduction by one
half from the third to the fifth year; those acknowledged by the People's
Government of Hainan Province as technologically advanced shall further
enjoy a tax reduction by one half from the sixth to the eighth year;
(3) after the expiration of the stipulated period for the reduction of or
exemption from enterprise income tax according to the State, enterprises
engaged in industry, agriculture, and other production businesses, shall
have their enterprise income tax reduced to 10 percent in the year when
the value of their export products amounts to 70 percent or more of their
output value of that year;
(4) those involved in service trades, with a total investment of or over
US$ 5 million or RMB 20 million yuan and an operation period of 10 years
or longer, shall be exempt from enterprise income tax in the first profit-
making year and enjoy a 50 percent reduction in income tax in the next two
years.
Reduction of or exemption from local income tax for enterprises within
Hainan Island shall be determined by the People's Government of Hainan
Province.
Article 13
For investors from outside China who have no offices on Hainan Island, a
10 percent income tax shall be levied on their dividends, interests,
rents, franchise, royalties and other incomes derived from the island
except those exempt from income tax according to law. The People's
Government of Hainan Province shall decide as to who are to enjoy income
tax reduction or exemption.
Article 14
Enterprises with foreign investment and enterprises with 25 percent of
their shares held by foreign businessmen shall enjoy the right to conduct
import and export operations, and other enterprises may enjoy the same
right, if so approved by the People's Government of Hainan Province - i.e.
to import the goods necessary for the production and operations of their
enterprises, and export their own products.
Article 15
Customs duty, product tax and value-added tax shall be exempted on the
machinery and equipment, raw materials and parts, means of transport and
other materials and items as well as office equipment that the enterprises
within Hainan Island need to import for their own production and
operations.
Customs duty, product tax or value-added tax shall be reduced by one half
on the goods imported for sale on the market in Hainan by enterprises on
the island.
Article 16
The State encourages enterprises on Hainan Island to export their
manufactured products. Products manufactured by enterprises to be
exported shall be exempt from export duties, and product tax or value-
added tax already collected thereon shall be reimbursed, except for crude
and refined oil, as well as a few other products specifically designated
by the State.
Article 17
The products manufactured by enterprises on Hainan Island and to be
marketed in Hainan are exempt from product tax or value-added tax, whereas
mineral oil, tobacco, liquor and a few other products specially designated
by the People's Government of Hainan Province are subject to a 50 percent
product tax or value-added tax. Where the manufactured products contain
certain imported parts and materials, customs duty, product tax or value-
added tax shall be exempted or levied retroactively in accordance with the
stipulations of Article 15.
Products manufactured by the aforesaid enterprises and to be marketed to
other parts in China, may be sold by enterprise themselves, except for
products whose importation is restricted by the State and which are
subject to approval in accordance with the relevant regulations of the
State. But product tax or value-added tax shall be levied on these
products according to relevant provisions. Customs duties, product tax or
value-added tax on the manufactured products containing imported parts and
materials shall be levied retroactively in accordance with relevant
stipulations.
Where the enterprises with foreign investment within Hainan Island are to
sell on the domestic market their products which conform to the standards
specified in the methods governing import substitution by the State, they
may apply to sell their products as import substitutes.
Article 18
Foreign exchange earnings derived by enterprises within Hainan Island from
their product export and from other business activities, may be retained
in foreign currency as earned and shall be handled in keeping with the
regulations of the local People's Bank of China. The enterprises may
adjust the surplus and deficits of their foreign exchange and effect a
balance of foreign exchange receipts and disbursements at the foreign
exchange adjustment markets located on Hainan Island or in other parts of
China.
Article 19
Investors from abroad may freely remit from the enterprise's foreign
exchange deposit account at the bank the profits they earn from the
enterprises they set up on Hainan Island. The amount remitted shall be
exempt from income tax.
Investors from abroad who reinvest the profit they earn from their
enterprises within the Island, for a period of not less than five years
shall enjoy a reimbursement of 40 percent of the income tax paid on the
amount to be reinvested, and 100 percent of the income tax already paid on
the amount to be reinvested shall be reimbursed if the investors elect to
reinvest their profit earnings in the construction of infrastructure and
agricultural development enterprises, export-oriented and technologically
- advanced enterprises within the Island.
Investors from other parts of China shall be free to remit their profit
earnings from the enterprises on the Island. And no retroactive income tax
shall be levied on the profit earnings remitted to other parts of China
within ten years beginning from the first profit-making year.
Article 20
When coming to Hainan Island to negotiate investment or trade, promote
economic and technological exchange, visit relatives or to tour,
foreigners from countries or regions having diplomatic relations or
official trade links with China, may apply for entry visas at the port of
Haikou or Sanya if their stay in Hainan does not exceed 15 days; those who
need to stay in Hainan longer or who want to go on to other parts of China
on justifiable grounds, may apply for an extension of visa or obtaining an
additional visa endorsement according to relevant provisions.
Foreigners who permanently live on Hainan Island, or who invest in the
establishment of local enterprises or participate in the development of
the island, and their accompanying family members may upon application be
granted multiple entry visas by the authorities concerned under the
People's Government of Hainan Province.
Article 21
Compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan as well as overseas Chinese
holding valid passports or documents issued by the competent authorities
under the State Council or by their authorized agencies may come to Hainan
Island or proceed to other places within China without visas. Compatriots
from Taiwan may, at the ports in Hainan Island, directly apply for Travel
Certificate for Compatriots from Taiwan.
The People's Government of Hainan Province is authorized to examine and
approve the dispatch abroad of personnel by domestic organizations in
Hainan Province that are to set up economic, trade or tourism offices or
to establish enterprises abroad, except otherwise provided by the State.
Article 22
Matters not covered in these Provisions may be handled by the People's
Government of Hainan Province according to the provisions concerning
special economic zones. The rules for the implementation of these
Provisions shall be formulated by competent departments under the State
Council in conjunction with the People's Government of Hainan Province.
Article 23
These Provisions shall enter into force as of the date of promulgation.


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Partnership - New option for foreign investment in China

Zhiguo Li


 A new door to partnership is opened by the Chinese government to the foreign investors under this post-financial turmoil era in order to attract more foreign investment and provide more employment. On November 25, 2009, the State Council of the PRC promulgated the Measures for the Administration on the Establishment of Partnership Business by Foreign Enterprises or Individuals in China adopted at the 77th executive meeting of the State Council on August 19, 2009, which shall come into effect as of March 1, 2010 (“the Foreign Partnership Measures”). The Foreign Partnership Measures is regarded as supplementary to the Partnership Business Law of the People's Republic of China (“the Partnership Law”), article 108 of which provides that the measures for the administration on the establishment of partnership business by foreign enterprises or individuals shall be formulated by the State Council. Therefore the Partnership Law is the basic law for foreign enterprises or individuals (collectively “foreign partners”) to establish the partnership business in China (“foreign partnership”).

 The initial effort to formulate this kind of measures with the authorization of the Partnership Law can be tracked to January 2007 when the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOC), as requested by the Legislative Affair Office of the State Council, promulgated a draft of the Measures for the Administration on the Foreign Funded Partnership Business (“the Draft”) for public consultation. The Draft mostly reflect the intention of the MOC to remain the approval authority for the foreign partnerships as it does in the setup of the other three types of FIEs, such as equity joint venture, contractual joint venture and wholly foreign owned enterprise (i.e., EJV, CJV and WFOE, collectively FIEs). But the final Foreign Partnership Measures kick the MOC and its local branches (“the MOC local branches”) out from the charging authority with the replacement by the local authorized branch of the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC local branch), which is unexpected to but welcome by the professionals and entrepreneurs. This article will do analysis on the Foreign Partnership Measures from four perspectives: foreign partnership models, foreign partners’ qualification, thresholds and registration of the foreign partnership, in aiming to describe a clear foreign partnership roadmap for foreign partners.


Foreign Partnership Models

 Foreign partners can set up the foreign partnership in China in three models: a. with the other foreign partners; b. with the Chinese individuals, legal persons and the other organizations registered and located in Mainland China; c. through participating the existing domestic partnership.

 In the models above, the foreign partners have the option to take the form of general partnership, limited liability partnership or limited partnership stipulated by the Partnership Law, among which the limited liability partnership is only for the professional institutions such as law firms and accounting firms. Comparing with model a and b, model c seems more feasible and time-and-cost saving for the foreign partners. A complete due diligence will be conducted in order to minimize the risk from the operation of the domestic partnership before the participation date of the foreign partners. In consideration of the current administration and nature of the partnerships, lack of credibility and the other elements in China, it will be difficult to get a complete due diligence report satisfied with the foreign partners. Therefore, models a and b are highly recommended. Which model of a or b take needs the consideration and balance of the foreign partners based on their business plan, legal structuring, such as whether foreign partners themselves intend to do the business competing with the foreign partnership and how to exit by transferring the contribution in the partnership, ect., and the thresholds discussed below.

Foreign Partners’ Qualification

 The difference in the expression on the partners from overseas and China should be noted. Foreign partners only include foreign enterprises and individuals. The Chinese partners include Chinese individuals, legal persons and the other organizations. There is no unified legal interpretation on the “enterprise”, though mostly it refers to the profitable organizations. This uncertainty may come from the prudency of the legislator of China on the qualifications of foreign partners. Under article 184 of the Opinions of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues concerning the Implementation of the General Principles of the Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China for Trial (“the Opinions”), this expression of “enterprise” on the foreign partners allow the SAIC local branch more discretion to judge whether the foreign partner is a qualified “enterprise” or not in accordance with the relevant Chinese laws. In this scenario, the foreign partners need to note that they should not fall into the types of entities prescribed in article 3 of the Partnership Law if they aim to be a general partner, which says that wholly state-funded company, state-owned company, listed company, public-welfare-oriented institution or social organization may not become a general partner.

 Regarding the foreign individuals, they must have full capacity for civil conduct in accordance with article 14 of the Partnership Law. The international private law problem will also be involved here. Pursuant to article 180 of the Opinions, the foreign individuals who conduct civil activities in the territory of China, shall be regarded as having full capacity for civil conduct if they have that in accordance with China laws, no matter what their national laws requires for their capacity for civil conduct. Foreign individuals at or above the age of 18 years old are qualified to be the foreign partners if they are not mentally ill.

Thresholds for Foreign Partnership

 Some thresholds, such as the approval by the MOC, imposed on the FIEs are lifted for foreign partnership. This means that the foreign partnership and the domestic partnership will be treated with unified threshold in the aspect of approval, which will definitely reduce the criticism from the international community, but may cause more from the domestic public (including those FIEs). But it does not mean that there will be no thresholds review on foreign partnership.

 Article 3 of the Foreign Partnership Measures lists the general thresholds for the foreign partnerships. The establishment of foreign partnership shall abide by the Partnership Law and the other relevant laws, regulations and rules, and comply with the industrial policies for foreign investment. These general thresholds need to be analyzed together with the reference to the other relevant laws, regulations, rules and policies.

 First, the threshold provided by the Partnership Law is the pre-approval on the business scope. Where the business cope of a foreign partnership contains any item, for example oil distribution, that is subject to approval prior to registration according to laws or regulations, such approval shall be sought in advance and submitted at the time of registration with SAIC local branch. These pre-approvals involve , but not limited to, the Ministry of Land, the Ministry of Transport, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the China Banking Regulatory Commission and the China Insurance Regulatory Commission, etc., which depends on the business of the foreign partnership.

 Second, the Provisions on Guiding the Orientation of Foreign Investment (2002) and the Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries (revised in 2007) (collectively “foreign investment industrial policies”) set up the industrial threshold for the foreign partnerships, which are the industrial policy basis for the SAIC local branch to review registration application to establish foreign partnership in China. This will obviously increase the working load of the SAIC local branches since they are lack of the experience in this kind of foreign investment industrial policies review. We may also anticipate that there might be different explanation and implementations on the above two documents, which will be the problem faced by those foreign partners who submit the application in the first half year after the Foreign Partnership Measures comes into force on March 1, 2010.

 The third threshold is that the verification is required if the project invested by the foreign partners falls into the scope described in the Provisional Measures Governing Verification of Foreign Invested Projects. The charging authority is the National Development and Reform Commission and its local branches, which depending on the amount of the total investment and the nature of the project.

 It is necessary to note the forth threshold hidden in the important expression in article 3 of the Foreign Partnership Measures, which put the “rules” as the legal basis for the establishment of foreign partnerships. In the legal system of China, it indicates that the State Council authorizes the ministries or departments under the State Council (“the Ministries”) to issue necessary “rules” applicable to foreign partnerships. It also reflects that the existing valid “rules” issued by the Ministries, including those applicable to the representative offices opened by foreign law firms in China, are still the barrier for the foreign partners to access the local market in China.

 The final threshold comes from the commitment of China in its WTO accession. Although the State Council encourages those foreign partners who have advanced technology and management experience to establish foreign partnership in China with the purpose to facilitate the development of the modern service industry, at this stage, the services industries may only limited to those listed in the Schedule of Specific Commitments on Services (Annex 9 of the Protocol on the Accession of the People’s Republic of China) and the openness will not be wider than the commitments therein.

Registration of the Foreign Partnership

 In the FIEs regime, all investments by foreign investors need the pre-approvals of the MOC or MOC local branches. In the approval process, the MOC or MOC local branches will review, but not limited to, the content of the application, the article of associations of FIEs and contracts signed by the parties if any. Generally, this approval procedure will take 5 working days to 90 working days depending on the nature and total investment of the project. In this regard, the cancel of this approval for the foreign partnership will significantly escalate the speed of the establishment in the procedural stage and to a great extent reduce the uncertainty from the MOC or MOC local branches.

 The Foreign Partnership Measures stipulates that the representative or agent of all the partners shall submit the establishment application only to the SAIC local branch and not the SAIC. The submission shall include, besides the documents required by the Regulations on the Administration of Registration of Partnership Business (revised in 2007, “Partnership Registration Regulation”), the explanation on compliance of the foreign partnership with the foreign investment industrial policies, which will ease the review by the SAIC local branch. In this regard, the review may not be limited to the formality as provided in article 16 of Partnership Registration Regulation. It seems impossible for the SAIC local branch to issue the license to the foreign partnership on the spot. In this scenario, the SAIC local branch shall make a decision on whether to issue the license to the foreign partnership within 20 working days after the date it accepts the complete application.

 The Foreign Partnership Measures is the second case for MOC and MOC local branches to lose approval authority in the recent years. The first case is for the representative office opened by most of foreign enterprises in China since 2004. Although the loss of approval authority, the MOC local branches at the same level with the SAIC local branches accepting the application for establishment of foreign partnership shall be advised the registration information (including the establishment, alteration and cancel) of the foreign partnerships by the latter.

Conclusion

 For those foreign partners not interested in establishing professional foreign partnerships such as law firms in China, they are now can access the Chinese market with a presence in the option of partnership. The approval procedures involved with the MOC or its local branches as set up for FIEs has been removed. The minimum investment (registered capital) requirement for FIEs has been reduced to RMB30,000 (RMB100,000 for one-person limited liability company) by the Company Law of the People's Republic of China (revised in 2005), the Foreign Partnership Measures leave the minimum investment open to the partners. The foreign partners can contribute with the currency (freely exchanged foreign currency or legally earned RMB), in kind, IPR, land use right, the other properties or labor service (limited to general partners) to the foreign partnerships. All these will minimize the cost for foreign partners to achieve their goal of profit maximization in China. But those enterprises focusing on the investment business, such as the foreign-funded venture capital investment enterprises and foreign-funded investment companies, are excluded from the Foreign Partnership Measures due to lack of experience in administrating this kind of enterprises by the government.

关于《增值税一般纳税人资格认定管理办法》政策衔接有关问题的通知

国家税务总局


国家税务总局关于《增值税一般纳税人资格认定管理办法》政策衔接有关问题的通知

国税函[2010]137号


各省、自治区、直辖市和计划单列市国家税务局:
  《增值税一般纳税人资格认定管理办法》(以下简称《认定办法》)自2010年3月20日起执行,由于综合征管软件尚未修改完成,为确保《认定办法》按期贯彻实施,现将有关事项通知如下:
  一、在综合征管软件修改完成前,有关审批流程可先以纸质文书运转,待综合征管软件修改完善后再补充录入。
  二、各省税务机关要及时按照《认定办法》第九条第三款规定,确定实地查验的范围和方法,以便基层税务机关操作执行,并报总局备案。未确定实地查验范围和方法的,应按《认定办法》第九条规定的范围和程序进行实地查验,并制作查验报告。
  三、各地在执行过程中发现的问题,应及时反馈税务总局。


  
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