(TibetanReview.net, Dec 26) — Foreign investors can open hospitals in Jilin, run gas stations in Hubei and develop Tibetan medicines in Tibet Autonomous starting Jan 1, 2009, with each of the 21 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in western and middle PRC having identified its own investment preferences in an updated 28-page catalogue issued Dec 25 by China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), reported China’s official China Daily newspaper Dec 26. It said the expanded business opportunities were among those listed in Beijing’s updated foreign investment directory for the middle and western regions.
The report said that to attract foreign investment, local governments in these areas had come up with various preferential measures such as tax breaks, low-interest loans and cheap rent on industrial-purpose land.
It was not clear what else foreigners can invest in Tibet specifically, although the report said, in general terms, that, with tax breaks, they can also invest in occupational training, operation of holiday destinations and even passenger transportation by bus or train. It cited the NDRC spokesman as saying that overseas investors could start businesses on their own or via joint ventures with Chinese partners.