Since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, it hasbecome more open to the outsideworld, facilitating foreign invest-ments in more industrial sectors. InApril 2002, the Catalogue for the Guidanceof Foreign Investment Industries was for-mally implemented. Telecommunications,construction and operation of networks ofgas, heat, water supply and water drainagewere included in the list of sectors that werethrown open to foreign investment.