Update on MIIT's FITE Provisions

On June 20, MIIT published the revised "Provisions on the Administration of Foreign-Invested Telecommunications Enterprises" as a follow-up on Order No. 666 of the State Council released in February.

The new provisions made changes to Article 16, which now requires major Chinese investors of foreign-invested telecommunications enterprises to obtain an approval certificate from the Industry and Commerce Administration. Upon receiving the approval certificate and business certificate, investors must then apply for the telecommunication service certificate from the State Council Industry and Information Technology Department. The old provisions required major Chinese investors to apply for the telecommunication service certificate prior to registering with the Industry and Commerce Administration.