FILE PHOTO: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok, Thailand, November 4, 2019. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa
November 27, 2019
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China will speed up reforms to help build a market-based, globalized business environment and break investment barriers for all kinds of companies, Premier Li Keqiang was quoted as saying during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Economic growth slowed to 6% year on year in the third quarter of 2019, the weakest pace in more than 25 years, with the economy hit by a punishing trade war with the United States.
China has already drawn up new measures to start on Jan. 1 to “optimize” the business environment aimed at improving productivity and competitiveness.
Li was also quoted as saying in a summary of the Cabinet meeting published on China’s official government website (http://www.gov.cn) that taxes would continue to be cut as part of efforts to stimulate the slowing economy.
China aims to reduce administrative barriers, lower industry entry thresholds, eliminate discriminatory practices and decentralize investment decisions, the summary said.
(Reporting by David Stanway; editing by Grant McCool)
