Published by ChinaMNC · Lianchi

Understanding China's Government Information Disclosure System: A Guide for Foreign Founders

A practical overview of China's government information disclosure framework, including key regulations, annual reporting requirements, and how foreign founders can access official information for business planning.

Why Government Information Disclosure Matters for Foreign Founders

When setting up or running a company in China, access to reliable government information is essential. China's Government Information Disclosure system provides a formal channel for obtaining official documents, regulations, and reports. For foreign founders, understanding this system can help you navigate regulatory requirements, verify policies, and stay informed about changes that affect your business.

Key Regulations Governing Information Disclosure

The framework is built on several key regulations and notices. The most fundamental is the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Disclosure of Government Information, which took effect on April 15, 2019. This regulation sets out the principles and procedures for government agencies at all levels to disclose information.

Other important documents include:

• The General Office of the State Council's notice on measures for formulating information disclosure rules for public enterprises and institutions (issued December 21, 2020).
• The notice on measures for managing fees for processing government information disclosure requests (issued December 1, 2020).
• The notice forwarding the Ministry of Justice's guiding opinions on issues related to administrative reconsideration of government information disclosure cases (issued January 4, 2022).
• Notices on standardizing government information disclosure platforms and on the format of annual work reports (issued in 2019 and 2021, respectively).

These documents provide the procedural backbone for how information is disclosed and how requests are handled.

Annual Work Reports: A Key Transparency Tool

Government agencies at various levels are required to publish annual work reports on information disclosure. These reports summarize what information was disclosed, how requests were handled, and any improvements made. The government website hosts these reports for multiple years, including 2020 through 2025.

The reports are organized into several categories:

• Provincial-level reports: From all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government (e.g., Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangdong).
• Vertical system reports: From systems with vertical leadership, such as the People's Bank of China, Customs, Taxation, Financial Supervision, Securities Regulatory, Meteorological, Grain and Strategic Reserves, Tobacco, Railway, Civil Aviation, Postal, Mining Safety, Fire Rescue, and Foreign Exchange systems.
• State Council department reports: From ministries and commissions such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Commerce, and many others.

These reports can be a valuable resource for foreign founders to understand how transparent specific agencies have been and what types of information are available.

National and Specialized Plans

The website also provides access to national economic and social development plans, including the Five-Year Plans. For instance, the outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through 2035 is available, as are earlier plans such as the 13th, 12th, 11th, and 10th Five-Year Plans. The 15th Five-Year Plan outline is also listed.

In addition, specialized plans are published, such as:

• The 15th Five-Year Action Plan for the Development and Enhancement of Special Education.
• The 15th Five-Year Plan for Intellectual Property Protection and Utilization.
• The National Fitness Plan (2026–2030).
• The 15th Five-Year Plan for Expanding Consumption.
• The National Health Plan for the 15th Five-Year period.
• The 15th Five-Year Plan for the Revitalization and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

These plans can signal policy directions that may affect your industry, and they are published on the government website.

Local Development Plans

Local development plans are available for each province, autonomous region, and municipality, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Tibet, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang. These can help foreign founders understand regional priorities and incentives.

How to Access Information

The government information disclosure platform provides a search function for policies, with fields for title, document number, date of formation, and date of publication. If a search yields no results, the site suggests checking for input errors, simplifying search terms, or using similar or common words.

For foreign founders, it's advisable to use clear and simple search terms and to consult the annual reports to identify which agencies are most relevant to your business. The platform also offers explanations on specific issues, such as the distinction between government information disclosure and business inquiry matters, and how to handle requests after institutional reforms.

Practical Takeaways for Foreign Founders

• Use official sources: The government information disclosure platform is the authoritative source for regulations and policies. Rely on it rather than unofficial summaries.
• Check annual reports: These reports can tell you what information is routinely disclosed and how to request more.
• Monitor plans: National and local five-year plans and specialized plans can indicate upcoming regulatory changes or support measures.
• Understand the request process: If you need specific information, familiarize yourself with the procedures outlined in the regulations, including any fees for processing requests.

By leveraging these resources, foreign founders can make more informed decisions and ensure compliance with Chinese regulations.

Call to Action: Foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535 for help registering and operating a company in China.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.