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China’s NDRC Issues Updated Administrative Measures for Outbound Direct Investment

China's National Development and Reform Commission has issued new Administrative Measures for Outbound Investment, which take effect on December 1, 2026. The new framework replaces NDRC Order No. 11 and codifies procedural requirements for Chinese enterprises investing abroad, including in the UAE. The measures retain a risk-based review structure while streamlining verification for eligible non-sensitive outbound transactions.

Issuing authority
National Development and Reform Commission
Jurisdiction
China
Publication date
November 4, 2026
Effective date
December 1, 2026
Stage
Final rule
Official document
Administrative Measures for Outbound Investment
Illustration: A modern corporate office interior in Beijing with financial documents, digital tablet screens displaying cross-border trade graphs, and
Illustration

China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued new Administrative Measures for Outbound Investment on November 4, 2026, according to a report by law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. The updated regulations are scheduled to enter into legal force on December 1, 2026.

The measures repeal and replace NDRC Order No. 11, which had functioned as China's primary regulatory framework for outbound direct investment (ODI) since 2018. The new rules implement State Council outbound investment regulations enacted earlier in 2026.

Under the updated framework, procedural requirements are codified for Chinese enterprises investing across overseas markets, including the Gulf and the UAE. The system maintains a risk-based classified review and filing process while streamlining verification procedures for eligible non-sensitive foreign transactions.

Legal advisers noted that the NDRC plans to introduce standardized reporting forms and upgraded national digital filing systems to guide outbound corporate compliance under the new measures.

Sources

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