Overseas Service Platform Boosts Global Competitiveness

China's Ministry of Commerce has officially launched a new platform designed to enhance the global competitiveness of domestic firms that are expanding their operations abroad. This initiative comes at a time when the number of Chinese companies engaging in international markets continues to rise, prompting a growing demand for more professional and high-quality support services.

According to a release from the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), the platform consolidates service resources across various fields including legal affairs, taxation, finance, foreign affairs, logistics, customs, and trade promotion. This comprehensive approach aims to create an integrated service offering for businesses venturing into international trade.

At a press briefing held on January 26, an official from MOFCOM explained that the platform is designed to address common outbound investment needs. These include policy consultations, administrative guidance, country-specific information, regulatory updates, resource matching, and risk prevention strategies, all aiming to establish a 'single-window' and 'one-stop' service interface.

The platform facilitates connections between diverse stakeholders, including government departments, industry associations, service providers, Chinese embassies and consulates abroad, and over 100 foreign investment promotion agencies. This network is crafted to bolster support for businesses as they navigate the complexities of international markets.

Furthermore, the platform encompasses 37 sub-platforms and is anticipated to support 52,000 overseas Chinese enterprises, along with hundreds of thousands of foreign trade companies and various firms engaged in overseas contracting and labor cooperation.

Li Yong, a member of the executive council at the China Society for WTO Studies, emphasized in an interview that the launch of the platform signifies a critical improvement in China’s outbound service infrastructure, particularly amidst a more complex global economic landscape. This initiative converts high-level commitments to opening-up policies into practical support mechanisms.

Chinese enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized firms, have often struggled to tackle legal, regulatory, and government-related challenges in international markets on their own. The new platform is expected to provide more coordinated public services, thereby meeting their escalating needs for reliable support during their overseas expansions.

Recent years have witnessed a notable expansion of Chinese enterprises internationally, with their outward direct investment volume ranking among the largest globally. By the end of 2024, Chinese investors had established approximately 52,000 overseas enterprises across 190 countries and regions, showcasing China's commitment to enhancing its global economic footprint.

The nature of China’s overseas expansion is also evolving, with companies venturing beyond traditional goods trade into burgeoning sectors such as new energy, digital economy, and high-end manufacturing. This diversification necessitates upgraded legal, financial, tax, and risk management services to address the increased complexity of international operations.

The enhanced platform is also anticipated to promote the establishment of overseas industrial parks, fostering improved communication between Chinese authorities and host governments, which is crucial for protecting the legitimate rights of Chinese enterprises abroad.

The initiative builds upon earlier policy efforts. In October 2025, various government departments, including MOFCOM, issued guidelines aimed at strengthening the overseas comprehensive service system, aligning it with the evolving scale and development of China's global investments and trade.

As local governments are encouraged to develop outbound service hubs, cities such as those in East China's Zhejiang Province, along with Shanghai and Shenzhen, are actively exploring integrated online and on-site service models. Given the increasingly complicated global trade landscape and tightening regulatory scrutiny, the platform’s timing is both necessary and opportune.