China's MIIT Issues Long-Awaited New Telecoms Catalogue

More than twelve years after the promulgation in 2003 of the Catalogue of Telecommunications Services (《电信业务分类目录(2003版) 》; the "2003 Catalogue") China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology ("MIIT") finally promulgated the amended Catalogue of Telecommunications Services on December 25, 2015 (《电信业务分类目录(2015年版) 》; the "2015 Catalogue"), which will take effect from March 1, 2016. On December 28, 2014, MIIT also released on its website an Interpretation of the 2015 Catalogue of Telecommunications Services by Relevant Responsible Persons of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化相关负责人解读《电信业务分类目录(2015年版) 》; the "Interpretation"), which provides helpful guidance on the policy goals informing the drafting of the 2015 Catalogue.