The Chinese government announced late Thursday that it will loosen or remove restrictions in various industries, including railways, shipping and power grids.

Some of the changes had been announced previously, such as in the automobile and financialsectors. But one advocacy group for US businesses in China described the latest measures as "positive."

"Removing some investment barriers in the railway, shipping, and power sectors ... shows that China is attempting to show it is indeed opening up," said William Zarit, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China.

Beijing has long been criticized for shutting companies from other countries out of large swathes of its economy. Chinese leaders insist they are committed to gradually opening the economy at a suitable pace.

Limited market access has been among the complaints leveled against China by the Trump administration during the escalating trade clash between the two countries.

But Beijing’s latest moves shouldn’t be read as a direct reaction to US demands, analysts say.

"I think they would very much like it to be seen as China opening up to the rest of the whole world rather than something that is done to assuage the Trump team," said Louis Kuijs, head of Asia Economics at research firm Oxford Economics.

China flagged earlier this year that it planned to trim its list of industries where foreign investment is restricted by the end of June.

It is delivering on promises and plans that had been announced before, Kuijs said.

Despite the changes announced this week, which will take effect July 28, Beijing will maintain tight restrictions on foreign involvement in dozens of sectors, including the media, internet and agriculture.