Li Keqiang brings up this matter again, whether the Chinese economy can stabilize it is the key
In less than a month, there was one incident that was "named" twice by Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council.
On the evening of the 28th, the Chinese government website released the full text of Li Keqiang's speech at the national teleconference on deepening the "streamlining administration, delegating powers, and improving services" reform and optimizing the business environment. He pointed out at the meeting held on June 25th that deepening the "streamlining administration, delegating powers, and improving services" reform and optimizing the business environment must adhere to the principles of marketization, rule of law, internationalization.
Less than a month later, on July 15th, Li Keqiang presided over a symposium with economic situation experts and entrepreneurs to revisit this issue. He emphasized that to solve multiple problems and maintain stable economic operation on a high base, the key lies in greater efforts to reform and open up. The first task is to "solidly implement the new task of 'streamlining administration, delegating powers, and improving services' reform, and create a market-oriented, rule of law, and international business environment".
Both speeches pointed directly to one point - optimizing the business environment with the goal of "marketization, rule of law, internationalization".
Why should we focus on the above nine words to optimize the business environment?
Let me explain first: marketization requires the elimination of unreasonable institutional barriers and greater stimulation of market vitality and social creativity; Rule of law requires open and transparent rules, fair and just supervision, and legal protection of the legitimate rights and interests of all types of ownership enterprises; Internationalization requires continuous expansion of openness, strengthening integration with internationally recognized economic and trade rules, and promoting the improvement of international competitiveness.
The integration of nine characters means a market environment suitable for the development of enterprises, which is conducive to stimulating the vitality of market entities, enhancing competitiveness, and unleashing the huge potential of the domestic market, thereby helping the Chinese economy maintain stable operation and promoting high-quality development. And this is particularly important for China at present.
The recently released economic data for the first half of the year shows that China's economy continues to operate within a reasonable range, continuing the overall stable and progressive development trend. However, in the face of a more severe and complex development environment, as well as more predictable and unpredictable risks and challenges, China not only needs to implement countercyclical adjustments to stabilize growth, but also needs to deeply explore the driving force of reform and provide supporting conditions for sustained, stable, and healthy economic development.
李克强在这场电视电话会议上亦指出，深化“放管服”改革和优化营商环境是改革开放的一个关键举措，是正确处理政府和市场关系的重大改革之举，也是当前实现“六稳”、办好我们自己的事的重要举措，要坚持不懈深入推进。
世界银行发布的《2019年全球营商环境报告》显示，中国营商环境在190个经济体中名列第46位，较上年大幅提升32位。这一方面说明中国整体营商环境不断提高，另一方面也体现出中国与国际顶尖营商环境仍存在一定距离。
为此，中国正三步并作两步加紧追赶。今年以来，由国家发改委牵头推进的《优化营商环境条例》起草工作稳步推进，计划于今年9月底前出台实施，目前征求意见已经公布。
据了解，该《条例》一方面将聚焦当前市场主体反映强烈的营商环境突出问题，研究提出制度性解决方案；另一方面，将对标国际一流标准，推广国内最佳实践，明确各领域优化营商环境的改革方向和目标。
中泰证券首席经济学家李迅雷表示，随着中国扎实落实“放管服”改革新任务，打造市场化法治化国际化营商环境，培植一视同仁、更具吸引力的投资热土，一系列积极效应将连锁显现。“企业家有信心了，投资增速就会上升，经济增长动能便会加大，金融机构也愿意扩大资金投放规模。”
优化营商环境该怎么做？李克强的答案是，坚持行“简约”之道。
他指出，经过近几年不懈努力，简政放权成效明显，但还要继续深化，“把该放的权彻底放出去，把该减的事项坚决减下来，把该清的障碍加快清除掉，持续为市场主体松绑、铺路。”
大力缩减市场准入负面清单，就是中国在此方面放出的“大招”。
众所周知，当前中国实际使用外资规模不断扩大、质量不断提升，外资对经济社会发展作出重要贡献。但长期以来，不少外资企业反映希望涉足中国服务业、制造业、农业等领域，却由于相关政策限制被挡在门外。
李克强亦坦言，“我们已经实行了全国统一的市场准入负面清单制度，但是清单事项仍然偏多，清单之外的障碍也还不少。”
为进一步提振全球投资者来华投资经营信心，中国今年以来针对外商在华生产经营“痛点”推出多项措施，其中就包括继续缩减外商投资准入负面清单条目，推进农业、采矿业、制造业、服务业市场开放等。
专家指出，负面清单的修订，在允许更多领域实行外资独资经营的同时，也加快与国际通行经贸规则对接，提高了政策透明度和执行一致性，更有助于营造内外资企业一视同仁、公平竞争的公正市场环境。
企业办事方便与否，亦是衡量市场环境的重要指标。
李克强提到，现在市场主体培育和发展仍面临一些问题。“一个比较突出的问题是‘准入不准营’的情况依然存在。企业拿了营业执照以后，往往还有很多证件要办、不能马上开业。”
为此，他要求进一步压减企业开办时间，今年要压减到5个工作日以内，有条件的地方压减到3个工作日。
此前，市场监管总局等多部门已联合发文就此作出要求。而在部分地方，这一“减法”还将做得更加彻底。
北京市地方金融监督管理局局长霍学文近日透露，该市将依据金融开放新政将新设外资金融机构纳入“白名单”，建立绿色通道，优化工作流程，实现快速登记注册。去年北京开办企业时间已经压缩到5个工作日左右，今年将可以实现最快1个工作日领到执照。
伴随一系列举措，中国营商环境市场化法治化国际化程度越来越深，外资在华发展也将迎来更广阔空间。全球投资者对中国市场信心如何，数据已说明问题。
据商务部统计，今年1-6月全国新设立外商投资企业20131家；实际使用外资4783.3亿元（人民币，下同），同比增长7.2%。其中，高技术服务业实际使用外资875.6亿元，同比增长71.1%。
Information source: China Government website
Editor He Yang of this website/Organizing
