In keeping with commitments made during World Trade Organization negotiations, a limited number of telecommunications services will open on December 11 in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to accept foreign capital.

Investment in these "basic" sectors will limit international investors to a maximum of 49% ownership in the businesses. However the opening this month is not expected to cause much change in the business landscape as foreign enterprises are generally more interested in investing in China's value-added telecom services.

Currently, no foreign company has filed investment registration papers as part of this new opening.