Circular of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Launching Pilot Work of Expanding Value-added Telecommunication Services to the Outside World
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Communication Letter No.107 [2024]

In order to implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress and the deployment of the Central Economic Work Conference, promote high-level opening to the outside world, take the initiative to meet international high-standard economic and trade rules, continuously optimize the business environment for foreign investors, and serve to build a new development pattern, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology decided to carry out the pilot work of expanding the opening up of value-added telecommunications services. The relevant matters are notified as follows:

First, take the lead in carrying out pilot projects in Beijing Comprehensive Demonstration Zone for Expanding and Opening up the Service Industry, Lingang New Area of Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone and Leading Zone for Socialist Modernization, Hainan Free Trade Port and Shenzhen Socialism with Chinese characteristics Pioneer Demonstration Zone. The people’s governments of the provinces (municipalities directly under the Central Government) to which the four places belong shall be responsible for organizing the formulation of the pilot implementation plan according to the Pilot Program for Expanding the Opening-up of Value-added Telecommunication Services (see Annex for details). The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is responsible for organizing the evaluation and demonstration of the pilot implementation plan and implementation conditions in the four places, and giving a reply.

Second, cancel the restrictions on foreign shares in Internet data centers (IDC), content distribution networks (CDN), Internet access services (ISP), online data processing and transaction processing, as well as information publishing platforms and delivery services (except Internet news information, online publishing, online audio-visual and Internet cultural management) and information protection and processing services.

3. Foreign-invested telecom enterprises that intend to carry out the aforementioned value-added telecom services in the pilot areas shall apply to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology for the approval of the pilot operation of telecom services in accordance with relevant regulations, and abide by the relevant laws and regulations and the provisions of the pilot approval in their telecom business activities, and accept and cooperate with the supervision and management of telecom regulatory agencies and relevant competent departments.

Four, the Ministry of industry and information technology to organize the implementation of the pilot evaluation, timely summary of the advanced experience of the pilot, model, typical cases and other publicity and promotion.

Five, according to the implementation of the pilot, timely expand the scope of the pilot area, the relevant matters will be announced separately.

Attachment:Pilot scheme for expanding value-added telecommunications services to the outside world

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
April 8, 2024