Introduction
As part of a push to change the underlying features of China's economic growth model, Premier Wen Jiabao has called on central government departments to make a push to open up more areas of the economy to private investment. This special feature examines three seperate sectors that have traditionally been dominated by state-owned enterprises and looks at how business people have reacted to recent efforts to widen the scope for private investment. The special feature also includes an interview with Zhuang Congsheng, vice president of the All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce, on his hopes for greater policy certainty when it comes to private investment.
Economic Observer
The Ministry of Education has launched guidelines to make it easier for private companies to invest in the education sector but entrepreneurs are still cautious.
Economic Observer
Following a fall-off in investment, the railway sector hopes to encourage more private investors. Investors, however, are cautious as they won't get much say in how projects are run.
Economic Observer
As long as the right to import oil is limited to the three large state-owned companies that dominate China's oil industry, moves to open the sector up to competition will be futile.
Economic Observer
Zhuang Congsheng (庄聪生), vice president of a private business lobby group, discusses new rules aimed at encouraging private capital to invest in areas traditionally dominated by state-owned enterprises.