(Yicai) April 24 -- China has narrowed its negative list for market access, reducing the number of restricted or prohibited items to 106 from 117, in an effort to improve the business environment in sectors such as new telecommunications services and TV drama production.

This fourth revision of the negative list, released today by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, and the State Administration for Market Regulation, marks a roughly 30 percent reduction from the original 151 items listed in 2018, Yicai learned.

The negative list outlines sectors, industries, and business activities that are either restricted or prohibited for both domestic and foreign investors.

The latest version further eases market access in several areas. For example, the seal-engraving industry has transitioned from a licensing system to a filing-based one. Additionally, entry procedures have been streamlined in industries such as TV drama production, pharmaceutical wholesale and retail, and emerging telecom services.

The update also removes certain regional restrictions in areas including transportation, freight forwarding, and vehicle leasing, with the goal of dismantling interregional market barriers and supporting the development of a unified national market.

At the same time, the scope of the list has expanded to include emerging industries such as unmanned aerial vehicles and new tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to better align with evolving market trends.

Guo Liyan, deputy director of a research institute under the NDRC, wrote in an article today that more than seven years of implementation have demonstrated that the negative list system has effectively promoted the transformation of government functions, greatly simplified the access process, and continues to reduce market entry barriers, thereby enhancing overall market efficiency.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Emmi Laine