The Shandong Provincial Government recently launched 19 measures to help foreign companies resume production and operation and promote foreign investment.

The province will assist foreign companies in resuming operations under the precondition of adequate prevention and control work.

Local government will assist foreign firms in purchasing epidemic prevention equipment for staff in need and guaranteeing hygiene at the workplace.

Shandong will provide catering distribution services for foreign firms that do not meet the minimum sanitary conditions by cooperating with local qualified catering enterprises and fast food chains.

The province will help employees return to work through chartered buses from areas outside Hubei province, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak in China.

It will help solve labor shortages brought about by virus-related travel restrictions and encourage enterprises to work with online recruitment platforms and human resource agencies to boost employment.

Shandong launched measures to ensure the transportation of production materials. Local companies will need to apply for transport vehicle permits due to travel restrictions.

The province also launched a set of measures designed to reduce rent, taxes and other financial burdens companies may be facing due to the outbreak. It proposed to return half of the unemployment insurance premiums paid in the previous year to employers that lay off no or few workers.

Shandong also is also allowing foreign firms to apply to delay tax payments for a maximum of three months and encouraging banks to offer loans, lower loan interest rates and streamlined approval processes.   

The province will promote more foreign investment and cooperation through video conferences and online channels.

Shandong also pledged to improve the investment climate for foreign investors.