BEIJING — China's top securities watchdog has started to solicit public opinion on a draft guideline on investor-relations (IR) management to improve the quality of listed companies and protect the legitimate rights and interests of investors.

The draft document has clarified the definition of IR management, while offering more methods to manage IR and summarizing practices that have been proven effective, Gao Li, a spokesperson with the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), told a press conference on Feb 5.

Listed firms will be subject to stricter regulations, with prohibited activities and relevant regulatory requirements further specified, the CSRC said.

At a forum last month, a CSRC official pledged efforts to improve the quality of public companies, vowing "zero tolerance" for securities misconduct.