Guo Fa [2013] No. 38

To People's Government of all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central

Government and all ministries and commissions of and institutions directly under the State Council:

The State Council has approved and promulgated the "Framework Plan for the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone" (the "Framework Plan").

1. The establishment of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone is a strategic decision by the Central Government, and is a significant measure to boost China's reform and opening up under the new circumstances. The China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone is critically meaningful and aims to expedite the functional transformation of the government, explore administrative innovation, stimulate trading and investment facilitation, and accumulate experience on achieving a more open China economy.

2. The Shanghai Municipal People's Government shall be responsible for the implementation of the Framework Plan. The China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone shall explore the administration approach of "National Treatment" on investment permission and "Negative List", deepen the reform on administrative approval system, expedite the functional transformation of the government, and enhance the follow up supervision. The Shanghai Municipal People's Government shall expand the opening up of service industry, boost the opening up and innovation in financial sector, and establish a new pilot free trade zone with international standards in providing business and investment convenience, highly effective and efficient supervision and investor-friendly regulatory environment. The China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone will serve as a "role model" nationwide in national system reforms and further opening up of the Chinese economy; if successful it will likely be expanded, and thus will contribute to the overall development of the economy. All governmental bodies shall support the coordination, guidance and evaluation entailed.

3. According to "The Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Authorizing the State Council to Temporarily Adjust the Administrative Examination and Approval of Relevant Laws in China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone", relevant laws and regulations shall be temporarily adjusted. Further details will be announced by the State Council under separate cover.

The Shanghai Municipal People's Government shall report to and consult the State Council on significant issues arising during the implementation of the Framework Plan.

The State Council

18 September 2013

(This document is for public use)