NDRC Announces 2016 SEI Products and Services Catalog

On July 5, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) released the Strategic Emerging Industry Products and Services Catalog (Draft for comment). The public comment period will end on August 3rd. The 2016 catalog is based on the 13th Five Year Plan (FYP) and the 2013 “Strategic Emerging Industry Products and Services Guiding Catalog”.

Through this catalog, the government is promoting significant technological breakthroughs and development in strategic emerging industries (SEI’s) such as, energy efficient and environmental technologies, Internet and Information Security products and services, next generation information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, IPR services and new-energy vehicles (NEV’s). According to NDRC, the catalog is designed to provide investment guidance to citizens as these SEI's have been identified as the next areas for economic growth and modernization. As new policies around these SEI's appear, it will be important to monitor how they affect foreign companies' ability to participate in these key markets.