21社论丨完善政府投资基金管理，避免地方同质化竞争

Core Viewpoint - The recent release of guidelines by the National Development and Reform Commission emphasizes the importance of government investment funds in supporting innovation and addressing market failures in China’s economy, particularly in the context of high-quality development and technological self-reliance [1][2]. Group 1: Government Investment Fund Objectives - Government investment funds are designed to address market failures, focusing on major national strategies and key sectors while attracting more social capital through market-oriented approaches [2][3]. - The establishment of local government investment funds has led to a trend where they are used as tools for attracting investment, resulting in homogeneous investment patterns across regions [2][3]. Group 2: Guidelines for Investment Direction - The new guidelines specify that national-level funds should focus on modernizing industries, tackling core technological challenges, and supporting significant cross-regional projects, while local funds should consider regional characteristics and support small and medium-sized enterprises [3][4]. - Investments in restricted or eliminated industries, as outlined in the "Industrial Structure Adjustment Guidance Catalog," are prohibited to prevent local governments from indirectly subsidizing overcapacity sectors [3][4]. Group 3: Market Efficiency and Competition - The guidelines stress the need to prevent local governments from excessively utilizing investment funds for attracting investments and engaging in homogeneous competition, highlighting that market efficiency stems from effective resource allocation and fair competition [4]. - The role of government investment funds is primarily to address temporary strategic capital shortages and to demonstrate leadership in attracting social capital participation [4].