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BEIJING, June 28-- China on Thursday unveiled a shortened negative list for foreign investment, with the number of items down to 48 from 63 in the previous version. Jointly released by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Commerce, the new negative list will become effective on July 28, 2018. The list, with the official name "Special Administrative Measures on Access to Foreign Investment (Negative List) (2018 Version)," will substitute a catalogue for guiding foreign investment revised in 2017. The new list widens market access for foreign investment in primary, secondary as well as tertiary sectors, detailing 22 opening-up measures in fields including finance, transportation, professional services, infrastructure, energy, resources, and agriculture. The number of items subject to special administrative measures on the new negative list was cut from 63 to 48, further reducing the scope of foreign investment approval, the NDRC said. The new list also detailed a timetable for opening-up in the automobile and finance sectors, the commission said. China marks the 40th anniversary of its reform and opening-up policy this year. Making public the new negative list is an important move to implement the central authorities' arrangement for the opening-up strategy, relax market access to a great extent, and push forward high-level opening up, the NDRC said. | 
