The Xinhua news agency has released a catalogue detailing areas in which foreign investment is encouraged and those in which it is barred. It is the first revision of the catalogue since 1997 and would apply from April 4th 2002.

Banned areas include "strategic parts of the economy" including

Construction and operation of power grids
Aviation Control companies
Futures Firms
Boradcasting and Television
Production and Development of genetically modified seeds (GM)

The number of sectors in which foriegn investment is banned fell from 75 to 112 in 1997. Th areas in which foreign investment would be encouraged rose from 186 in 1997 to 262 now