BEIJING, April 3 -- The Ministry of Commerce has issued a guideline urging local governments to promote e-commerce in the farming and service sectors while encouraging local businesses to sell their products overseas through Internet platforms.

Issued on Friday, "2015 E-Commerce Key Work Points" called on governments to come up with legislation that is conducive to the growth of e-commerce.

The focus on e-commerce must be adapted to the "new normal" of slower but higher-quality economic growth, it said.

Developing the e-commerce sector is an important part of China's Internet Plus action plan, a notion mentioned in the 2015 government work report in early March.

It refers to integrating mobile Internet, cloud computing, big data and the Internet of Things with modern manufacturing, encouraging the healthy development of industrial networks and Internet banking, and helping Internet companies increase their international presence.

E-commerce must play its role to expand the market, promote consumption, provide employment and stabilize growth, the guideline said.

The State Council, China's cabinet, on Wednesday promised policies to boost e-commerce, including through cutting red tape and liberalizing investment.