(Bloomberg) -- China relaxed foreign investment rules for its southern free trade port of Hainan island, allowing overseas funds into sectors such as mining, online trading, and market and social research.

Restrictions on foreign shareholding in carmakers will also be lifted, according to China’s National Development and Reform Commission on its website. The negative list on foreign investment rules for the Hainan free trade port will be effective from February.

The Chinese government said in 2018 that a relaxation of rules in the automobile manufacturing industry will be adopted nationwide in 2022.

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