Published by ChinaMNC · Dongpo

Understanding Government Information Disclosure Rules for Foreign Founders in China

A practical guide for foreign founders on China's government information disclosure framework, drawn from an official Sichuan provincial government page listing national regulations and provincial notices.

Why Government Information Disclosure Matters to Foreign Founders

Foreign founders setting up or running a company in China often need official documents, policy interpretations, and procedural guidance from government bodies. The source page is an official provincial government portal listing the rules that govern how government information is disclosed. Understanding this framework helps foreign founders know what information they can request, how to request it, and what fees or procedures may apply.

The page organizes materials into national regulations and State Council General Office documents, alongside provincial notices. Below is a practical overview of what the source lists and how it may matter to foreign-invested enterprises.

National-Level Rules Listed on the Page

The Core Regulation

The page lists the Regulation of the People's Republic of China on Government Information Disclosure (State Council Order No. 711), dated 2019-04-15. This is the foundational national rule for how government information is disclosed. For foreign founders, it establishes the general expectation that government information is disclosed and that parties may apply for information.

State Council General Office Documents

The page lists a series of notices and interpretations from the State Council General Office and its government information and政务公开 office. These address practical questions about how disclosure works:

• Public enterprises and institutions: a notice on measures for making disclosure rules for public enterprises and institutions (2020-12-21).
• Information processing fees: a notice on measures for managing fees for government information disclosure processing (2020-12-01). Foreign founders should note that requesting information can involve fees under this framework.
• Administrative reconsideration: guidance from the Ministry of Justice, forwarded by the State Council General Office, on issues in handling administrative reconsideration cases concerning government information disclosure (2022-01-04).
• Centralized and dynamic publication of rules: a notice on doing this work well (2021-10-29).
• Annual report format: a notice issuing the format for annual reports on government information disclosure work (2021-09-29).
• Platform standards: a notice on matters relating to standardizing government information disclosure platforms (2019-12-03).

Interpretations on Application Handling

The page also lists several interpretive documents from the government information and政务公开 office. These clarify common procedural questions:

• How applications are handled after institutional reform (2019-02-11).
• Which channels are used to receive applications (2017-10-24).
• Which body is responsible for replying to applications (2017-10-24).
• How items in annual reports should be filled in (2017-10-24).
• How decisions on disclosure are delivered (2017-10-24).
• The boundary between government information disclosure and general business inquiries (2017-10-24).

For foreign founders, these interpretations matter because they define the practical path: where to submit a request, who answers it, how the answer is delivered, and what falls outside the disclosure system.

Provincial-Level Notice

The page includes a notice from the Sichuan Provincial Department of Finance and the Sichuan Provincial Development and Reform Commission on matters relating to fees for government information disclosure processing (2021-01-25). This indicates that provincial authorities issue local implementing notices on fees. Foreign founders operating in a given province should check both national rules and local notices.

Practical Takeaways for Foreign Founders

• Know the framework: The national regulation (Order No. 711) is the base rule; State Council General Office notices and interpretations fill in procedural details.
• Use the right channel: Interpretations address application receipt channels and reply responsibilities, so confirm the correct channel before submitting a request.
• Expect possible fees: Both national and provincial notices address information processing fees. Budget for this when making requests.
• Distinguish disclosure from business inquiries: One interpretation clarifies the boundary between government information disclosure and business query matters, so routine commercial questions may not be handled through this route.
• Check local rules: Provincial notices, such as the Sichuan example, may add local requirements.

Website Identification Details

The page also displays official website identification information, including a website identification code (5100000062), a Sichuan ICP filing number (蜀ICP备 13001288号), and a public security filing number (川公网安备 51010402000507号). These are standard identifiers for official Chinese government websites.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.