In response to the profound adjustments in the global economic and trade landscape, Guangdong Province officially released the "Guangdong Province 2026 Work Plan for Optimizing a First-Class International Business Environment" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan") on February 2, 2026. This marks a crucial, systematic, and integrated step forward for Guangdong in its ongoing efforts to deepen reform and promote high-level opening-up. Together with the concurrently released work plan for optimizing the market-oriented and rule-of-law business environment, this plan constitutes a comprehensive package of 50 measures aimed at extending advanced regional reform experiences throughout the province and providing full lifecycle support for enterprises, from inception and growth to internationalization.

The core objective of the plan is to build a more attractive and competitive high-level business environment centered on " openness, innovation, and cooperation ." Its release is not only a positive response to the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, but also a demonstration to the world Guangdong's determination to deepen institutional opening-up and integrate deeply into the global economic system, leveraging the historic opportunity of hosting the APEC "China Year" series of meetings, as a major foreign trade province and a major province for inbound and outbound passenger flow.

I. Building a Livable and Business-Friendly International Urban Environment: From "Convenient Payment" to "Urban Living Room"

The starting point for an international business environment lies in enabling overseas talent and enterprises to "come in, stay, and thrive." The plan prioritizes improving the city's international service level, aiming to break through the "soft environment" bottleneck for foreigners living and working in Guangdong.

　　1. Create a seamless consumer payment environment

In response to payment challenges raised by overseas visitors, the plan proposes to systematically build a diversified payment service system encompassing high-frequency scenarios such as food, accommodation, tourism, shopping, entertainment, and healthcare. This system includes foreign card acceptance, mobile payment, cash payment, and digital RMB. This measure aims to eliminate consumption barriers, allowing overseas visitors to Guangdong to enjoy the same convenient and secure payment experience as domestic residents, directly boosting consumer confidence in inbound tourism and shopping.

　　2. Promote the construction of international public service facilities

Infrastructure is a direct reflection of international competitiveness. The plan clearly states that international neighborhoods, international schools, international hospitals, and international talent communities will be built according to local conditions. These facilities will not only serve resident foreign experts and business people, but also aim to create a high-end urban brand image such as a "city living room" and a "preferred venue for receiving guests" in the new era of major-country diplomacy, and foster an open and inclusive international cultural atmosphere.

　　3. Build a prestigious brand for "inbound tourism" and "inbound shopping".

Consumption is a crucial engine for economic growth. Guangdong will steadily advance the construction of Guangzhou and Shenzhen as international consumption centers, transforming traditional commercial districts into consumption experience centers and fashion and creative hubs. Simultaneously, it will significantly increase the number of tax-refund shops for departing tourists, promote the "buy now, get refund now" service, optimize the layout of duty-free shops in cities and ports, and vigorously attract internationally renowned brands to establish their first stores and flagship stores, continuously upgrading the supply of high-end consumption. The goal is to increase the number of tax-refund shops for departing tourists by 80% throughout the year, allowing high-value-added domestic and trendy products made in Guangdong, along with global premium goods, to jointly prosper Guangdong's consumer market.

II. Optimizing an efficient and convenient cross-border trade system: From "smart ports" to "one-stop transparent services"

As a major foreign trade province, Guangdong regards optimizing cross-border trade services as the "lifeline" of its international business environment. The plan proposes to launch a special action to facilitate cross-border trade in 2026 and strive to include more cities in the national pilot program.

　　1. Empowering the entire customs clearance process with technology

The construction of "smart ports" is the core approach. Guangdong will rely on the international trade "single window" to build and improve the cross-border trade big data platform and expand its logistics, financial, and trade service functions. Specific measures include promoting the intelligent transformation of Guangzhou Baiyun Airport's cargo terminal to achieve "24-hour pickup" for eligible imported goods and "direct loading upon arrival" for exported goods, and optimizing the inspection and supervision model for imported hazardous chemicals in strategic emerging industries to reduce customs clearance time.

　　2. Innovate regulatory and service models

In response to emerging business models such as cross-border e-commerce, the plan proposes to further promote transparent pilot programs and create a one-stop transparent regulatory service system integrating customs, foreign exchange, taxation, loans, and insurance, providing enterprises with stable and transparent policy expectations. Simultaneously, it aims to improve the Guangdong RCEP online service platform to achieve intelligent online document review of certificates of origin; promote information sharing among Customs AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) enterprises; guide financial institutions to provide them with more support; and enable trustworthy enterprises to enjoy greater convenience.

III. Emphasizing Both Openness and Service Optimization: From "Relaxing Market Access" to "Providing Comprehensive Support"

Attracting and stabilizing foreign investment requires continuously expanding market access and improving service capabilities. The plan makes meticulous arrangements for "bringing in" foreign investment.

　　1. Implement policies to relax restrictions on foreign investment access.

Guangdong will strictly implement the pre-establishment national treatment plus negative list management system for foreign investment, and will clean up inconsistent policies and measures for domestic and foreign investment in accordance with the law. In particular, it will formulate and implement the "Implementation Plan for Promoting the Opening-up of the Service Industry in Guangdong Province," leveraging the demonstration effect of the national comprehensive pilot projects for expanding the opening-up of the service industry in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and promoting further opening-up in sectors such as healthcare, telecommunications, finance, and education.

　　2. Build a service system that is "business-friendly and secure for businesses".

Optimized services are reflected in mechanism innovation. Guangdong will optimize and expand the direct communication mechanism between provincial leaders and multinational corporations, implement the principle of "top leaders taking the lead in investment promotion," regularly hold roundtable meetings and visits to foreign-invested enterprises, and promptly respond to their needs. At the same time, it will leverage the incentive policies for regional headquarters of multinational corporations and foreign-invested R&D centers, planning to add a new batch in 2026, and provide full-process service guarantees for major foreign investment projects from planning to implementation.

IV. Deepening Regional Collaboration and International Cooperation: From "Greater Bay Area Linkage" to "APEC Opportunities"

Guangdong's internationalization is inseparable from the collaboration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and also needs to seize the opportunities of global cooperation platforms.

　　1. Strengthen collaborative cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.

The plan prioritizes cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, including the high-quality organization of a joint cooperation meeting and the successful hosting of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Global Investment Promotion Conference. Regarding infrastructure connectivity, it will optimize port planning and construction, such as implementing "cooperative inspection and one-time clearance" at Huanggang Port and promoting a smart and fast customs clearance model on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Furthermore, it supports pilot projects in Nansha, Qianhai, Hengqin, and other platforms in areas such as cross-border data exchange and interoperability of medical devices ("Hong Kong-Macao Medical Device Connectivity"), thereby enhancing regional integration.

　　2. Leverage the APEC platform to enhance global influence

The 2026 APEC meeting is a highlight of Guangdong's annual international exchanges. In November, the Leaders' Informal Meeting will be held in Shenzhen. Guangdong will seize this opportunity to deepen economic and trade cooperation with APEC economies, host various business forums and industry matchmaking events, and jointly promote the deep integration of industrial chains. Previously, the first APEC Senior Officials' Meeting, the first official event of the "Year of China," was successfully held in Guangzhou in early February, showcasing Guangdong's openness and innovative vitality to over a thousand delegates worldwide. This was not merely a meeting, but a strategic platform for Guangdong to promote its business environment to the world and attract high-quality global resources.

V. Providing comprehensive and professional support: from "cross-border investment and financing" to "international legal services"

International business requires strong support from professional services. The plan sets forth clear requirements for modern service industries such as finance, taxation, and law.

　1. Facilitate cross-border investment and financing

In the financial sector, Guangdong will promote the pilot program for facilitating cross-border RMB transactions, expand the multi-functional free trade account (EF account) system, and deepen the pilot programs for "Cross-border Wealth Management Connect," "Bond Connect," and Qualified Domestic/Foreign Limited Partners (QDLP/QFLP), providing enterprises with more diverse and efficient channels for cross-border capital operations.

　　2. Enhance the level of cross-border tax and legal services.

The tax authorities will expand the "Tax Road" service brand to provide full-lifecycle tax services for cross-border investment and strengthen research on country-specific tax policies and risk warnings. On the legal front, they will optimize the Guangdong Foreign-Related Legal Services Network, leveraging platforms such as "Trade Law Connect" to provide enterprises with foreign-related commercial dispute resolution services, accelerate the development of foreign-related legal services, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises both domestically and internationally.

Conclusion: Moving Towards a New Stage of "Systemic Interconnection" in the Business Environment

The release of the "Guangdong Province 2026 Work Plan for Optimizing a World-Class International Business Environment" is by no means an isolated measure, but rather a coordinated effort with market-oriented and rule-of-law-based solutions, marking a new stage of "systematic linkage" in Guangdong's business environment reform. From convenient payment to smart ports, from relaxing foreign investment access to improving overseas services, from the integration of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to the APEC international stage, this plan draws up a comprehensive and well-coordinated "blueprint."

Its ultimate goal is to make Guangdong a development hub with the fewest approvals and filings, the fastest government services, and the best industrial ecosystem, so that enterprises and talents of any nationality can share the "Guangdong opportunities" in China's modernization process on this fertile land, achieving true two-way exchange and common prosperity.