The National Film Administration recently issued management regulations to encourage service providers from Hong Kong and Macao to invest in and set up film production companies on the mainland to carry out film production business.
The full text of the regulations is as follows:
Provisions on the Administration of Investment in Film Production Business by Hong Kong and Macao Service Providers
For the purpose of further deepening the film cooperation and exchanges between the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region and promoting the prosperity of film creation and production, these Provisions are formulated in accordance with the Film Industry Promotion Law of the People's Republic of China, the Film Management Regulations and other relevant laws and regulations, and in accordance with the film-related clauses in the Agreement II on Amendment to the Agreement on Trade in Services under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement and the Agreement II on Amendment to the Agreement on Trade in Services under the Mainland and Macao Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement.
1. The State encourages service providers from Hong Kong and Macao to invest in and establish film production companies in the Mainland to carry out film production business.
2. These Provisions shall apply to service providers from Hong Kong and Macao who invest in and establish film production companies in the Mainland (hereinafter referred to as Hong Kong and Macao-invested film production companies) and carry out film production business in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Foreign Investment Law of the People's Republic of China and the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Registration and Administration of Market Entities.
3. The films referred to in these regulations include feature films, animated films, science and education films, documentary films, special films, virtual reality films, etc.
4. Hong Kong and Macao-invested film production companies can serve as the first production unit and submit applications for film project establishment and review. The application procedures and material requirements refer to Articles 9, 10 and 15 of the Regulations on the Administration of Sino-Foreign Co-production of Films.
5. When applying for the filing of a domestically produced film, if a Hong Kong and Macao-invested film production company is a co-producer, or a domestically produced film that has obtained a filing receipt intends to add a Hong Kong and Macao-invested film production company as a co-producer, the filing and review application procedures and material requirements shall refer to the current domestic film management measures; if the first production unit is to be changed to a Hong Kong and Macao-invested film production company, the corresponding project establishment, review and other procedures must be supplemented in accordance with Article 4 of these Regulations.
6. With the approval of the market supervision and management department, existing Hong Kong and Macao-invested enterprises may add corresponding items to their business scope and engage in film production business.
7. These regulations shall come into force on the date of promulgation.
