Li: 'We need to do everything we can to help market entities survive, thrive'

China will work to ensure that the registration of businesses will be entirely processed online before the end of the year in a further move to transform government functions and reinvigorate market entities, the State Council's executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang decided on Wednesday.

"The reform of transforming government functions and delivering the fiscal and financial relief policies must be progressed in parallel," Li said.

"So far, the special transfer payment mechanism that directly channels funding support to primary-level governments has played a crucial role. In the meantime, we must continue to lower the market threshold to stimulate market vitality and public creativity."

Business registration will be entirely processed online before the end of the year. Separate registration of corporate domiciles and business premises will be piloted and a company may register more than one business premises.

"We need to do everything we can to help market entities survive and thrive. If the 100 million-plus businesses could keep running, we will be able to meet the goal of creating 9 million new urban jobs this year," Li said.

To ease business operations, expand opening-up and support agricultural and rural development, administrative licensing of 49 items with overlapping examination and approval requirements will be canceled, and the approval authority for four items will be delegated to the provincial level. Where law revision is needed, these new measures will be implemented after the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress approves the proposed law revisions.

The meeting stressed the importance of stepping up oversight alongside proper deregulation.

"While canceling the approval requirements or delegating approval authority, responsible departments must ensure sound compliance oversight," Li said.

"It takes more than monetary input for the Chinese economy to grow. The reform of government functions could further bring out the ingenuity and industriousness of the Chinese people, and enhance the efficacy of government oversight and services. This is a reform that could lead to greater fairness and efficiency," Li added.