Draft law promotes fair-play in business environment

Shanghai’s legislators introduced a bill on Wednesday which aims to create a level playing field for all local businesses.

The bill would require the government to ensure equal access to capital, technologies, human resources, land-use rights, natural resources for production, as well as public services for all market players.

Bidding and government procurement should ensure transparency and fair play, and no potential bidder or supplier should be ruled out or restricted in any manner or be set against unreasonable conditions, the bill says.

In drafting laws and regulations and making policies "closely related to economic activities of market players," the government and other organizations authorized to administer public affairs should subject bills to fair-play assessment, in which third parties are welcome to take part, while all organizations or individuals are entitled to report government policies which are considered to run counter to fair-play standards, according to the bill.

The bill also asks the government to ensure special funds to support the development of small and medium enterprises in annual budgets and better protect the legal rights of small and medium investors.