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BEIJING, May 30-- China will roll out more foreign investor-friendly measures to further boost opening-up and economic upgrading, the State Council decided at an executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday. It was decided at the meeting that market access will be widened. Commitments already made to cancel or ease the restrictions on foreign investment in such manufacturing sectors as automobiles, shipping vessels, and aircraft will be promptly implemented. The mechanism regarding qualified overseas investors will be expanded to encourage overseas investors to participate in the futures trading of crude oil and iron ore and give more support to foreign-invested financial institutions in underwriting local government bonds. "We must strive to preserve China's status as a major destination for foreign investment. Opening-up has driven China's reform endeavors in the past 40 years. Foreign-invested enterprises have been a significant contributor to Chinese exports. More importantly, they have brought to China industrial and value chains, and spurred corporate reform and innovation," Li said. According to the Ministry of Commerce, foreign investment in China hit a new high of 877.56 billion yuan (about 136.72 billion U.S. dollars) in 2017, up by 7.9 percent year on year. It was also decided at the meeting that investment facilitation will be enhanced based on international standards. The negative list on the market access of foreign investors will be revised and released before July 1. | 
