On May 8, the Information Office of Liaoning Provincial People’s Government held a press conference, presenting the 25 measures taken by the Liaoning public security authorities to serve opening up and the construction of pilot free trade zones.

Liaoning will provide more high-quality, efficient, and secure services in four aspects: steadily expanding institutional opening up, promoting investment and trade facilitation, maintaining a fair and predictable investment environment, and enhancing cross-border security. It will further optimize the law-based business environment and advance high-standard opening up.

Liaoning will introduce better service measures, with a focus on the 144-hour visa-free entry, port visas, border inspection permits, port clearance, stay and residence of foreign nationals, immigrant integration, and settlement of foreign professionals. Any foreign national who has an urgent need to travel to Liaoning for visits and exchanges, investment and entrepreneurship, visiting relatives, handling private affairs and other non-diplomatic and non-official activities, shall submit supporting documents provided by inviting parties (individuals), such as an invitation letter, to apply for a port visa at Shenyang Taoxian International Airport and Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport. This will fully leverage the function of public security authorities for issuing port visas, providing a more convenient and flexible way for foreign nationals entering Liaoning. Any foreign national who comes to Liaoning for short-term non-diplomatic and non-official activities such as visits and exchanges, investment and entrepreneurship, visiting relatives, tourism, or private matters and has legitimate reasons for extending his/her stay, may submit an application to the nearest exit-entry windows in the 14 cities across the province for the extension, renewal, and re-issuance of his/her visas. If one needs to travel frequently between China and other countries, he/she can apply for multiple-entry visas with a validity term of up to five years. Liaoning will continue to improve its policy environment for the entry, exit, stay and residence of foreign nationals.

Liaoning will also guide local public security authorities to actively follow up on important parks, key enterprises, and major projects related to opening up. Specifically, public security authorities in Shenyang City, Dalian City, and Yingkou City will engage with enterprises in pilot free trade zones, establish dedicated service hotlines, and provide “direct access services” for key enterprises with needs in this regard, including policy consultation, government services, security guidance, and rights and interests protection, aiming to further facilitate investment and trade.