The Chinese government further lowered fee-charging rates as from October 31 in a bid to alleviate enterprises' burdens, improve the investment environment, and promote foreign trade and social and economic development.

A notice jointly issued on October 31 by the State Development Planning Commission and the Ministry of Finance detailed the reduction of the fee-charging rates of the second group, or 468 items, involving some three billion yuan a year.

The items mainly cover the fees charged for entry-exit quarantine of animals, plants, health, and commodities; administrative charges for ports, enterprise registration, urban and rural fairs, and those imposed on individual business people.

Of the 468 items, 450 are related to the State Administration for Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine, with the average charging rate going down by one-third, according to the notice.

Nine items involve the General Administration of Customs, including fees charged for import rebate procedures and intellectual property-rights protection registration, with the charging rate cut by 20 percent.

Administrative charges on fairs and individual business people have been cut by 20 percent, the notice says, noting that any other charges in this regard must be canceled.

In 1997, the two ministries announced the reduction of the fee- charging rates of the first group, or 22 kinds of items, involving four billion yuan a year. (Xinhua)