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- Index number:
- 000014453-2024-0083
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- Dispatch date:
- 2023-12-08
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- Publish organization:
- State Administration of Foreign Exchange
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- Exchange Reference number：
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- Name：
- SAFE Deputy Administrator and Press Spokesperson Wang Chunying Answers Media Questions on the Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Further Deepening Reforms and Facilitating Cross-border Trade and Investment
The State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) has recently issued the Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Further Deepening Reforms and Facilitating Cross-border Trade and Investment (Huifa [2023] No. 28, hereinafter referred to as the “Notice”). SAFE Deputy Administrator and Press Spokesperson Wang Chunying answered media questions on relevant contents of the Notice.
Q: What is the background for the issuance of the Notice?
A: Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the SAFE has placed equal emphasis on development and security , consistently advanced reforms and opening up in the foreign exchange sector, and promoted facilitation of cross-border trade, investment, and financing. In practice, we have noticed that the vigorous development of new business forms and new modes of foreign trade and the increasing diversification of cross-border investment and financing activities have generated new and heightened demands among market participants for facilitation of foreign exchange services. To thoroughly implement the arrangements and demands of the Central Financial Work Conference that “the financial sector shall provide high-quality services for economic and social development”, the SAFE has conducted in-depth research on market appeals, thoroughly summarized previous pilot experience, and systematically reviewed foreign exchange administration policies related to the trade and foreign exchange receipts and payments, cross-border financing for technology-based enterprises, and foreign direct investment. Building upon this groundwork, the SAFE has issued the Notice which includes nine policies and measures to further deepen reforms in foreign exchange administration and promote the facilitation of cross-border trade and investment.
Q: What are the policy principles outlined in the Notice?
A: The Notice puts forward the following key policy principles. On a macro level, our goal is to strengthen and refine the policy supply in the field of foreign exchange, and enhance comprehensive policy integration. Specifically, we aim to deepen reforms and opening up in the facilitation of transactions related to both the current account and the capital account. Meanwhile, we will continuously enhance the dual management framework of the foreign exchange market, combining macro-prudential measures with micro-regulation. These endeavors will contribute to the construction of a modern financial system with Chinese characteristics. On a micro level, our focus is on actively promoting stability in foreign trade and foreign investment. This involves further streamlining foreign exchange management, shortening procedures of related cross-border businesses, and facilitating market participants in complying with regulations when handling cross-border trade and investment businesses. Through these initiatives, we aim to effectively boost market vitality and better serve the high-quality development of the real economy.
Q: What specific measures does the Notice introduce to facilitate cross-border trade?
A: The Notice has introduced four measures to facilitate cross-border trade. Firstly, optimizing foreign exchange administration on market procurement trade. The banks can utilize online platforms for market procurement to facilitate foreign exchange receipts and payments for market procurement merchants through various channels. Secondly, relaxing requirements for the netting settlement of balances in processing trade. The banks can handle the settlement of funds for enterprises’ counterparty foreign exchange collection and payment for imported materials processing trade. Thirdly, improving the collection and payment of cross-border trade funds under entrusted agents. When an agent is unable to handle the collection and payment of foreign exchange for trade in goods due to a special circumstance, the bank can handle the collection and payment of foreign exchange for trade in goods for the entrusting party. Fourthly, facilitating the settlements of foreign exchange funds for commercial leasing business of domestic institutions. Domestic institutions meeting the relevant conditions can use their foreign exchange incomes to pay rent for domestically rented commercial items to domestic leasing companies.
Q: What is the main objective of optimizing the management of foreign exchange in market procurement trade, as outlined in the Notice?
A: The main objective of optimizing the management of foreign exchange in market procurement trade is two-fold. Firstly, we aim to support the innovative development of new business formats such as market procurement and facilitate online foreign exchange receipts and payments for market procurement merchants who rely on third-party customs clearance. Secondly, more banks are encouraged to provide foreign exchange settlement services for market procurement trade. We support banks to flexibly leverage information from online platforms for market procurement trade by aligning with their customers' business needs, their IT infrastructures and other actual situations, provide more convenient foreign exchange receipt and payment services for market procurement merchants, and enhance their fund settlement efficiency. This may also assist the banks in reducing system development costs.
Q: The Central Financial Work Conference has underscored the significance of offering financial support for new technologies, new arenas, and emerging markets. What specific implementation measures does the Notice introduce in this regard?
A: Based on our research, we have identified that some technology-based enterprises in their initial stages are faced with challenges in obtaining cross-border financing due to limited net assets and other difficulties. To address this issue, the SAFE has been continuously enhancing and refining foreign exchange policy provisions for technology innovation since 2018. We have introduced facilitation policies for cross-border financing, specifically targeting high-tech enterprises and enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products. These policies allow such enterprises to autonomously borrow foreign debts within specified limits, thereby significantly reducing their financing costs.
The Notice has upgraded the policies for facilitating cross-border financing in terms of the scope of eligible entities, pilot regions, and pilot quotas. Firstly, in addition to high-tech enterprises and enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products, technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been included as eligible entities for the pilot program, aiming to support their innovative development. Secondly, the policy coverage has expanded nationwide, extending beyond the previous 17 provinces and cities. Thirdly, the quota for the initial 17 provinces and cities under the facilitation has been raised to US$10 million, and rest regions are provisionally allocated a quota equivalent to USD5 million. These measures aim to facilitate cross-border financing for high-tech companies, enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products, as well as technology-based SMEs, while also safeguarding against corporate debt risks.
Q: Which policies outlined in the Notice are beneficial for foreign-invested enterprises to expand and operate their businesses in China?
A: In recent years, the SAFE has consistently streamlined procedures and processes, making it easier for foreign-invested enterprises to conduct business under the capital account. In 2020, a nationwide reform was introduced to facilitate receipts and payments under the capital account. Eligible enterprises were no longer required to provide authenticity certification documents to banks in advance on a per-transaction basis when utilizing capital funds, foreign debt funds, and other capital account receipts for domestic payments. Starting in 2022, pilot programs have been initiated in four areas, i.e. the Lin-gang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, where foreign-invested enterprises are exempted from registration procedures for domestic re-investment activities.
To further facilitate the foreign exchange receipts and payments of foreign-invested enterprises, the Notice has clarified that the original asset realization account will be transformed into the settlement account under the capital account, allowing enterprises to freely utilize the funds for foreign exchange settlement. These funds primarily include foreign direct investment, domestic re-investment, funds received by domestic equity transferors from overseas direct investment as consideration for equity transfer, and foreign exchange funds raised by domestic enterprises through overseas listings. Going forward, in accordance with enterprise needs, the SAFE will include more funds into this account in an orderly manner, thereby facilitating the utilization of funds by enterprises.
Q: What are the main considerations of the Notice in canceling the approval requirement for opening foreign debt accounts in other regions?
A: Streamlining the use of corporate external debt accounts has proven to enhance businesses' efficiency in utilizing cross-border funds. In April 2022, the PBOC and the SAFE jointly issued a Notice on Strengthening Financial Services for COVID-19 Containment and Socio-Economic Development. The notice allows non-financial enterprises to use a single foreign debt account for multiple external debts and supports online applications for foreign debt registration, which further simplifies the management of foreign debt accounts. The implementation of these measures have facilitated the use of foreign debt accounts and received widespread recognition from market participants. Building upon this foundation, the Notice further eliminated the approval requirement for opening accounts for foreign debt in different places. It allows market entities to open foreign debt accounts in banks in different places based on their actual needs, which will facilitate the utilization of foreign debt accounts and reduce “foot-cost” for enterprises.
