By LI Linxu

In its latest move to align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, China will expand the opening up of value-added telecommunication services in pilot areas.

Foreign ownership limit in some value-added telecommunication services will be lifted in the pilot areas, according to a circular recently released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

An internet industrial park in Hainan Free Trade Port. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

These services include internet data centers, content delivery networks, and internet service providers.

Online data processing and transaction processing, information publishing platforms and information delivery services (excluding services related to internet news information, online publishing, internet radio and television, and internet culture management), and information protection and processing services, are also among the listed services.

The pilot areas consist of Beijing's national comprehensive demonstration zone for expanding opening up in the service sector, the Lingang new area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone and the pioneer area for socialist modernization in Shanghai's Pudong New Area, the Hainan Free Trade Port, and the Shenzhen pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The move is a follow-up to this year's government work report, as well as last December's central economic work conference, both of which vowed to ease market access in services sector such as telecommunications and healthcare.

It is China's latest effort to promote high-standard opening up, advance the high-quality development of the country's telecommunication industry, and strengthen international cooperation in the sector, said an official from MIIT, adding that the country will expand the scope of pilot areas in due course based on the implementation of the pilot programs.

The policy is expected to further optimize the business environment for the telecommunication industry and facilitate foreign companies to invest in the sector.