On foreign investment

Attracting foreign investment is our long-term policy. Such policy will not change. Nor will our protection of the lawful rights and interests of foreign companies in China, and our commitment to better services in favor of foreign companies in China. Foreign investment, which has provided China with capital, advanced technologies, managerial expertise and professional talents with international vision, all needed for the country's modernization drive, has played a significant role in promoting China's economic development.

China respects international business practice of non-discrimination and has fulfilled its national treatment and other commitments upon WTO accession. We give equal and fair treatment to all market players, including foreign-invested companies in China, and welcome all forms of cooperation between transnational corporations and their Chinese counterparts. In recent years, China has taken a series of investment facilitation steps, significantly cancelling restrictive items and adopting a management model based on pre-establishment national treatment plus negative list approach. By so doing, we aim to timely address the legitimate concerns of foreign investors, protect their lawful rights and interests, and foster a level playing field with open and transparent laws and policies, along with a more efficient administration.

According to surveys by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) and other authoritative international bodies, China remains the world's most attractive investment destination. Claims about a changing investment climate in China and foreign investors losing confidence in China are not backed by facts. In 2014, China received US$120 billion in foreign investment, more than any other country, and continued to be the leading destination among the developing countries for 23 years running. In the first eight months of this year, the actual amount of foreign investment used by China totaled US$85.3 billion, up by 9% from the corresponding period of the previous year. China will further ease market access for foreign investment. At the same time, we will improve regulations on foreign investment, amend relevant laws and better protect the lawful rights and interests of foreign investment in China.

It is my hope that other countries will keep their markets open to Chinese investors. We are against protectionism and discriminative policies of all forms, stand ready to properly settle economic and trade disputes with relevant countries through consultation, and promote a balanced multilateral economic and trade system that focuses on development and seeks win-win results.