(Yicai Global) Dec. 29 -- China wants foreigners to invest in autonomous driving, fifth-generation mobile networks and the country’s central and western regions, according to an expanded list of areas for overseas investment.

The latest list will take effect on Jan. 27, the National Development and Reform Commission, the state planner, said in a statement posted on its website yesterday

China will continue to steer overseas funds toward manufacturing, above all that of highly pure hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen fluoride, special fiberglass and high-performance fibers as raw materials, while the components and parts sectors singled out for investment are high-pressure vacuum components, special bearings and special glass.

It also seeks foreign investment in end products such as testing devices for integrated circuits, hardware for autonomous driving levels 3, 4 and 5, laser projectors, ventilators, iron lungs, and medical devices that use artificial intelligence.

The list also seeks overseas funds for services that ensure production efficiency and help improve industrial technologies. It adds and revises content on technologies for 5G networks and blockchain, as well as design and research and development of sewage disposal facilities. The list also favors entry into cross-border e-commerce, modern logistics, online education and healthcare.

China will also encourage foreign investment in central and western regions, adding the recommended sectors of farm produce processing, tourism development in northeastern Heilongjiang province and southwestern Yunnan province; medical devices, protective and anti-pandemic items in eastern Henan province, northwestern Shaanxi province and the southwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; as well as increased outlays on semiconductor materials, graphene and industrial ceramics in central Hubei province, southwestern Sichuan province and the central city of Chongqing.

The revised document has 1,235 clauses, 127 of which are new, with 88 amended to further expand the scope of sectors suggested for foreign investment as against last year’s list.

Editor: Ben Armour, Xiao Yi