Published by ChinaMNC · Anyue

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

A guide for foreign founders on how to access government information in China, including key regulations, annual reports, and planning documents, based solely on the official Government Information Disclosure Platform.

Understanding China's Government Information Disclosure Platform

For foreign founders setting up or operating a business in China, access to reliable government information is essential for compliance and strategic planning. The Chinese government operates a centralized Government Information Disclosure Platform, hosted on the official State Council website (www.gov.cn). This platform serves as a gateway to regulations, plans, and annual reports from various levels of government. This article explains what the platform offers and how you can use it, based entirely on the information available on the site.

What the Platform Provides

The platform aggregates key documents that affect businesses and individuals. According to the source, the platform includes:

• The Regulations on Open Government Information of the People's Republic of China (dated 15 April 2019), which set the legal framework for government transparency.
• Notices and measures from the General Office of the State Council, such as the Measures for the Administration of Information Processing Fees for Government Information Disclosure (1 December 2020) and the Notice on Issuing the Format for Annual Reports on Government Information Disclosure Work (29 September 2021).
• Guidance on handling information disclosure applications, including interpretations on receiving channels, response subjects, and delivery of decisions.
• National economic and social development plans, including the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) outline and previous five-year plans, as well as special plans on topics like intellectual property protection, consumption expansion, national health, and special education.
• Annual reports on government information disclosure work from 2020 to 2025, covering provincial governments, vertically managed systems (e.g., customs, taxation, financial regulation), and State Council departments.

Key Regulations for Foreign Founders

Foreign founders should be aware of the core regulations listed on the platform. The Regulations on Open Government Information (2019) establish the right to request government information and the obligations of government agencies to disclose it. The platform also links to specific notices that clarify how information disclosure works in practice. For example, the Notice on Standardizing Government Information Disclosure Platforms (3 December 2019) addresses the operation of online platforms, while the Interpretation on the Boundaries between Government Information Disclosure and Business Inquiry Matters (24 October 2017) helps distinguish between information that must be disclosed and general business queries.

Additionally, the Measures for the Administration of Information Processing Fees (2020) outline the fees that may apply when requesting government information. Understanding these rules can help foreign founders avoid unnecessary costs and delays when seeking official documents.

National and Special Plans

The platform provides access to China's national economic and social development plans, which set the direction for economic policy. The current 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) outline is available, along with previous plans. Of particular interest to foreign founders may be special plans such as:

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

These plans can signal government priorities and potential market opportunities. The platform also provides links to local development plans for provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and others.

Annual Reports on Government Information Disclosure

Government agencies at various levels publish annual reports on their information disclosure work. The platform hosts reports for 2020 through 2025, organized by:

• Provincial governments (e.g., 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, Xinjiang).
• Vertically managed systems, such as the People's Bank of China system, customs system, taxation system, financial supervision system, securities regulatory system, meteorological system, grain and strategic reserves system, tobacco system, railway system, civil aviation system, postal system, mining safety supervision system, fire rescue system, and foreign exchange system.
• State Council departments, including 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, People's Bank of China, General Administration of Customs, State Taxation Administration, State Administration for Market Regulation, and many others.

These reports provide transparency on how government agencies handle information disclosure requests and can be useful for understanding administrative practices.

How to Use the Platform

Foreign founders can search the platform by document title, document number, or date. If a search yields no results, the platform suggests checking for input errors, simplifying search terms, or using similar or common words. The platform also provides a disclaimer that it is a government website with official identification codes (e.g., bm01000001, Beijing ICP No. 05070218, Beijing Public Security No. 11010202000001).

When requesting information, foreign founders should refer to the interpretations on application procedures, including the Interpretation on Issues Concerning the Handling of Government Information Disclosure Applications after Institutional Reform (11 February 2019) and the Interpretation on Issues Concerning the Receiving Channels for Government Information Disclosure Applications (24 October 2017). These documents clarify how to submit requests and what to expect.

Practical Tips for Foreign Founders

• Check the platform regularly for updates on regulations and plans that may affect your industry.
• Use the annual reports to understand how government agencies respond to information requests, which can help you anticipate timelines.
• Be aware of fees that may apply for information processing, as outlined in the 2020 measures.
• Refer to the interpretations when preparing an information disclosure application to ensure it is submitted correctly.
• Explore local development plans to identify regional incentives or priorities that could benefit your business.

By leveraging the Government Information Disclosure Platform, foreign founders can gain valuable insights into China's regulatory environment and make more informed decisions.

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