China’s central government has told ministries to open up more sections of the economy to foreign investors, as foreign firms operating in China have expressed increasing frustration over limited access to markets, and government policies which they say discriminate against overseas companies. The central bank and foreign exchange regulator were told to ensure that “foreign investors can freely remit their profits, dividends and other forms of investment returns in China overseas”. The Chinese government said ministries and related government agencies must draft clear timetables on opening up sectors of the economy, including new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacture, ship design, aircraft repairs, maritime transport, railway passenger transport, petrol stations and call centers, as well as banking, brokerages and insurance. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Public Security were told to make it easier for foreigners to live and work in China. In particular, the cabinet said China must issue more long-term, multiple entry visas lasting five to 10 years to “qualified” foreigners. Some of those measures have been proposed before, but it is the first time the government has put them together in one list and urged ministries to deliver on the promises. Foreign stakes in Chinese securities houses and insurance firms, which are now capped at 49%, may be raised in the coming months. Ministries were also ordered to crack down on the infringement of foreign firms’ intellectual property rights (IPRs), and the tax authorities and land ministry were told to work out tax breaks and preferential land policies to encourage foreign companies to expand investment in China, especially in high-tech sectors and less developed regions of the country. China attracted CNY485 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) from January to July, down 1.2% on the same period last year.