The Xian Commerce and Trade Bureau has recently drafted the 2006-07 Guiding Catalogue for the Development of Commercial Services in Xian. Under the catalogue, the development of 78 industries is encouraged, of which, 11 involve new business models such as chain operation, automatic vending and e-commerce. The catalogue also groups, for the first time, 23 items such as community convenience stores, breakfast facilities, school buses and meals for students under the category of community services. It is understood that this move aims to prevent duplication in the construction of commercial facilities, wastage in social resources and vicious competition.

The catalogue also draws the attention of investors to the constraints in nine sectors: restrictions will be imposed on the physical distance between large-scale household appliances chain stores; the room for development of home centres, large department stores and large bath parlours is limited as they near saturation; there is an excess number of coal companies, auction houses and pawn shops and investors should be prudent in investing in these sectors; large commercial facilities of over 6,000 sqm in area will be required to make available over 30% of their total business area for parking purposes.

The catalogue also spells out restrictions on the development of the following: large warehousing-style supermarkets occupying an area of over 6,000 sqm and situated within Second Ring Road; large supermarkets occupying an area of over 6,000 sqm and situated within the city walls; the various outdoor commodity markets and wholesale markets at commercial centres, new- and high-tech zones and technological development zones situated within Second Ring Road; restaurants and related commercial facilities failing to meet environmental protection requirements or discharging excessive sewage; restaurants or shops causing excessive noise pollution located on the ground floor of residential buildings.