China will make a negative list to identify sectors and businesses that are off-limits for investment and gradually improve the list through pilot programs, according to an official statement.

　　On Tuesday, the 16th meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform, presided over by Chinese President Xi Jinping, approved a guideline for adopting a negative list approach for regulating market access, according to a statement unveiled after the meeting.

　　The move is significant in giving the market a bigger role in allocating resources, building a law-based business environment and making the market more open, the statement said.

　　China should relax market access, streamline administrative approvals and strengthen market supervision to build an open, equitable and well-regulated market in which companies can make independent decisions and participate in fair competition.

　　The government should thoroughly loosen controls on powers that should be delegated to companies, and make sure that companies in sectors outside the negative list can decide how to run their businesses, according to the statement.

　　The country will gain experience and gradually improve the list through pilot programs, the statement said.