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China's Tech-Driven Commerce Push: What Foreign Founders Need to Know

A guide for foreign founders on China's new nine-ministry opinion on accelerating technology-empowered commerce, covering smart products, digital services, supply chains, standards, data governance and financial support.

What the Nine-Ministry Opinion Means for Foreign Founders in China

Nine Chinese government departments, led by the Ministry of Commerce and including the Cyberspace Administration, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, have issued a joint opinion on accelerating technology-empowered commerce. The document sets out how technology should support innovation in trade and consumption as China works to build a strong domestic market. For foreign founders registering or operating a company in China, it signals where policy attention and support measures are likely to concentrate.

Consumer Goods: Smarter Products and Flexible Production

The opinion calls for deeper integration of artificial intelligence into product development, design, manufacturing and marketing. It points to a richer supply of smart goods, including smartphones, computers, home products, wearables and robots, and encourages smart products built on secure, reliable open-source operating systems. It also links traditional industries, time-honoured brands and technology-enabled agriculture to product upgrading.

On the demand side, the document promotes flexible manufacturing, industrial large models, edge intelligence, on-demand production and consumer-to-manufacturer (C2M) models. Personalized customization powered by artificial intelligence is another focus, with the aim of building recognized customization brands.

Exhibitions and Lower-Tier Markets

Trade fairs such as the Consumer Products Expo, the Global Digital Trade Expo and the Agricultural Trade Fair are named as platforms for displaying and trading technology achievements. The opinion also encourages smart consumption facilities and services to extend into county-level areas, which matters for founders planning distribution beyond major cities.

Services: Health, Education, Tourism and Entertainment

Several sections address service consumption. The document supports cooperation between domestic service companies and technology firms on smart platforms, digital transformation in catering, and broader application of artificial intelligence in health management, pharmaceutical services and rehabilitation care. It also encourages smart elderly care and childcare services where conditions allow.

In education, the national smart education platform is to be upgraded and opened to society. Pilot programmes combining artificial intelligence with culture and tourism are planned, along with data-driven sports initiatives and the promotion of integrated televisions and plug-in micro set-top boxes. The opinion also addresses ultra-high-definition audio-visual technology and new services such as robot and virtual digital human companionship, framed around the principle of technology for good.

Supply Chains, Wholesale and Retail

A dedicated action plan on digital and intelligent supply chains is referenced. The document promotes technologies including the Internet of Things, cloud computing and blockchain, alongside smart warehouses, smart logistics equipment and unmanned delivery. Green supply chains, green procurement, green products and green packaging are also highlighted, with support for leading digital supply chain enterprises that enable smaller firms.

For wholesale and retail, the opinion calls for online-offline integration, digital upgrading of agricultural wholesale markets, a retail innovation programme, and the use of digital tools across store layout, inventory, logistics, anti-counterfeiting traceability and after-sales management.

E-Commerce Quality and Certification

An e-commerce quality initiative is proposed, including an "authenticate before shipping" model and stronger quality management across platforms. The document emphasizes quality standards, inspection and brand building for online sales of home appliances, home furnishings and electronics. It also calls for stronger online verification of compulsory product certification (CCC) on e-commerce platforms and a pilot reform of CCC marks with traceability QR codes in key sectors.

Smart, Green and Integrated Scenarios

The opinion envisions commercial intelligent agents for shopping guidance, operations and logistics, plus embodied intelligence in areas such as household services and trade logistics. Cloud shopping and cloud exhibitions are mentioned, along with digital twin technology in consumption scenarios.

On sustainability, the document supports companies using blockchain to calculate product carbon footprints, low-carbon consumption scenarios, advanced biofuels, bio-based materials and biodegradable plastics, and benchmarks such as green shopping malls, restaurants and logistics parks. Smarter recycling and second-hand goods circulation are also covered. Integrated scenarios spanning commerce, tourism, culture, sports and health are encouraged, with pilot programmes and a focus on pedestrian streets, business districts and tourist sites.

Standards, Infrastructure and Data

The opinion promotes national standards for intelligence grading of AI terminals and a standards upgrade action in commerce, including national standardization pilots. It calls for upgrading commercial infrastructure, applying industrial internet and cloud platforms in commerce, and an AI startup support programme for small and medium-sized enterprises with inclusive computing power. It also proposes high-quality datasets and trusted data spaces for commerce, and combined use of commercial and public data.

Regulation, Talent and Financing

Regulators are to apply tiered governance to commercial intelligent agents, clarify boundaries for collecting, using and sharing commercial data, explore a negative list for data applications, and build risk monitoring and early-warning systems. The document endorses inclusive and prudent regulation, allowing stress tests and sandbox pilots for new technologies and models within controllable limits.

On research and commercialization, it identifies key technologies in new displays and smart terminals, commercial technology application innovation centres, technology transfer institutions in consumer goods, and conversion of frontier results such as brain-computer interfaces and embodied intelligence. Commerce firms in smart warehousing and digital supply chains are encouraged to apply for specialized and sophisticated enterprise status.

Talent measures include training bases jointly built by universities, research institutes, vocational schools and commerce companies, city-level industry-education consortia, and industry-education communities led by leading firms, plus new occupations such as logistics robotics application technology and intelligent system management.

Finally, the opinion calls for coordinating existing funding channels, encouraging financial institutions to support new consumption scenarios and to increase financing for technical upgrading and equipment renewal in commercial facilities.

Practical Takeaways for Foreign Founders

• Position products around smart and green features that align with the listed priority areas.
• Plan for standards and certification compliance, including CCC verification for relevant online sales.
• Watch data governance rules as tiered agent governance and data boundaries develop.
• Explore local partnerships with universities and vocational schools for talent pipelines.
• Monitor financial support for new consumption scenarios and equipment upgrading.

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

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