China has introduced a fresh round of regulatory changes in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone in a bid to jump-start interest in the district, which has been struggling to attract more overseas companies, a government website said on Sunday. The changes, which were approved by the State Council earlier this month, involve ownership rules and other restrictions for companies engaged in more than two dozen activities ranging from heavy equipment production to the export commodity trade. Overseas companies located in the zone will, for the first time, be allowed to establish wholly owned motorcycle manufacturers, as well as aviation engine parts design, production and maintenance companies. Wholly foreign-owned railway bridge and station equipment producers will also be allowed to set up shop. Ownership restrictions were also lifted on a variety of export commodity firms, including cotton, sugar, salt, and cooking oil trade firms. Those activities were formerly limited to Sino-foreign joint ventures. Foreign firms engaged in international maritime cargo handling for the first time will be allowed to hold up to 51 percent of any joint venture, up from 49 percent earlier, according to the new rules. Most of the rule changes announced had already been made public, including many of the manufacturing and export processing regulations. The 29 square kilometre Shanghai Free Trade Zone, located on the outskirts of China’s commercial capital, was meant to test broad economic and financial changes, including currency liberalisation, market-determined interest rates and free trade. The area, however, has stumbled because many of the Shanghai FTZ’s preferential policies have been on a nationwide basis, including cross-border cash pooling and netting for multinational companies, detracting from what was meant to be the exclusive nature of policies within the zone. Newly registered foreign enterprises accounted for 12 percent of the more than 10,000 firms allowed to operate within the zone by the end of June, official data showed. Excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan, foreign companies comprised just 6 percent, or 643 entities, far fewer than expected. The state-run Xinhua news agency said earlier this month the zone’s deputy head, Dai Haibo, had left his post. The South China Morning Post newspaper, quoting sources, reported that Dai was suspected of disciplinary violations and would be forced to step down.