CHINA> Key Reports
Report on the Work of the Government [Full Text]
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-19 10:39

9. Accelerating reform of the administrative system and intensifying government self-improvement.

Reform of the administrative system is an important link in deepening reform, an important part of the reform of political institutions, and an essential step in improving the socialist market economy. In reforming the administrative system, we should adhere to the following general principles and requirements: We must put people first and govern for the people. We should see to it that this reform proceeds in line with development of socialist democracy and the socialist market economy. Decisions must be made scientifically and democratically; the government must be run in accordance with the law, and administrative oversight needs to be strengthened. We need to make innovations in management and institutions and make full use of the initiative of both the central government and local governments. Efforts should be focused on changing functions, straightening out inter-departmental relationships, improving the structure and raising efficiency in order to develop an administrative system in which powers are commensurate with responsibilities, the division of work among departments is appropriate, decisions are scientific, enforcement is carried out smoothly and oversight is effective.

First, we must accelerate the transformation of government functions. This is central to deepening reform of the administrative system. We need to improve the division of responsibilities among government departments, ensure that all departments properly execute their functions and strive to build a service-oriented government. While improving regulation of the economy and the market, we must increase efforts to improve public administration and public services, safeguard social justice and order, and ensure equal access for all to basic public services. We will attach great importance to the role of civil organizations such as industrial associations and chambers of commerce in this area.

Second, we must deepen reform of government bodies. Our current plan for the reform of bodies of the State Council mainly centers on changing the way the government functions, appropriately dividing responsibilities among departments that exercise macroeconomic regulation, adjusting and improving bodies in charge of industrial management, and improving departments responsible for public administration and public services. The plan explores ways to establish larger departments that organically integrate the functions of smaller departments. To resolve the problem of overlapping responsibilities and of powers not being matched by responsibilities, the plan clearly defines the responsibilities and powers of each department, clarifies the relationship of responsibilities among departments, and improves the mechanism for interdepartmental coordination and cooperation. The plan will be submitted to you for deliberation and approval.

Third, we must improve the mechanism of administrative oversight. We need to use institutions to oversee the exercise of power, the handling of government affairs and the management of personnel. We will strengthen oversight of the exercise of administrative power and standardize procedures for administrative approval. We will strengthen the mutual oversight between higher- and lower-level authorities, get oversight bodies such as supervision and auditing departments to fully play their role, and conscientiously accept oversight by all sectors of society. We will adhere to the administrative accountability system and government performance management system. The competence of public servants will be strengthened. We will strictly enforce the law and the code of conduct for government employees and resolutely put a stop to non-compliance with government decrees and continued occurrences of banned practices. We will strive to make government affairs more open by enhancing the government information release system and improving the various types of administrative systems for transparency in government affairs to increase the transparency of government functions and create conditions to enable the people to oversee the government more effectively. Fourth, we will strengthen efforts to ensure clean government. We will attach even greater importance to combating corruption and encouraging integrity, and fight corruption unequivocally. We will effectively improve the system for preventing and punishing corruption in accordance with the principle of addressing both the symptoms and root causes of corruption and taking a dual approach that combines prevention and punishment, with the emphasis on prevention. In particular, we need to tackle the problems of excessive concentration of power and lack of checks on power. We will address fundamentals to improve regulations and institutions and standardize management of public resources such as transfer payments, development of land and mineral resources, government procurement and the transfer of state-owned assets. We will strengthen special campaigns to address people's pressing concerns related to problems concerning environmental protection, food and drug safety, workplace safety, land acquisition and expropriation, and housing demolition, to resolutely stop irregular practices that hurt public interests. We will strongly advocate hard work and plain living and firmly oppose extravagance and waste. We will prosecute all violations of the law and discipline, strictly curb bribery in business, resolutely bring corrupt people to justice and prosecute them to the full extent of the law.