A Report on China’s Administration Reform (Research Series on the Chinese Dream and China’s Development Path)

Introduction: Building a Fair, Just, Clean, and Effective Government
	(i)
	(ii)
	(iii)
Contents
About the Author
Part I The Course of Administrative Reforms in China
1 An Outline of the History of Administrative Reforms in China
	1.1 The Three Stages of Administrative Reforms in China
	1.2 The “Four Key Themes” of Administrative Reforms in China
	1.3 The “Five Key Pathways” of China’s Administrative Reforms
2 Reforms to the Administrative System in China, 2008–2012
	2.1 The Main Achievements of the Current Government in the Area of Administrative Reforms
	2.2 Prominent Issues Faced by the Current Government Over the Course of Implementing Administrative Reforms
	2.3 Trends in Administrative Reforms by the Current Government
3 Assessment: Analysis of Results from the Survey on Reforms to the Administrative System in China (2008–2012)
	3.1 The Survey Sample and Basic Demographics
	3.2 Overall Assessments of Current Administrative Reforms in China by Party and Government Officials
	3.3 Assessments of Administrative Reforms in Key Areas Undertaken by the Current Government
	3.4 Expectations of Further Reform Efforts
4 The 2013 Administrative Reforms Centered on the Transformation of the Government Functions
	4.1 Significant Advances in Efforts to Transform the Government Functions
	4.2 The Arduous Task of Transforming the Government Functions
	4.3 Pathways Toward the Restructuring the Relationship Between the Government and the Market
5 Assessment: Analysis of Results from the Survey on Reforms to the Administrative System in China (2013)
	5.1 The Survey Sample and Basic Characteristics of the Sample
	5.2 Basic Assessments of Reforms of State Council Agencies and of Efforts to Transform Functions of the Government
	5.3 Respondents’ Opinions on the Handling of the Relationships Between the Government and the Market and Between the Government and Society Through Delegating Power to Lower Levels and Transforming Government Functions
	5.4 General Opinions About the Current Round of Institutional Adjustments Made by the State Council
	5.5 Respondents’ Opinions on Efforts to Change the Way the Government Works and Governs
	5.6 Expectations of Future Administrative Reforms and Policy Suggestions
Part II Social and Economic Transformation in China and Reforms of the Administrative System
6 Economic Transformation and Government Reforms in Post-crisis China
	6.1 Lessons That can be Drawn from the “Three Strengths and Three Weaknesses”
	6.2 The Dual-Engine Strategy of Economic Development
	6.3 Start from County-Level Reform for Government Reform
7 Challenges in Public Governance in China and Economic Transformation
	7.1 The Rare Development Opportunities Provided to China by the Olympic Games
	7.2 Challenges Faced by China in the Post-Olympics Era
	7.3 Measures for Issues Concerning Governance in Economic Transformation
		7.3.1 Guarding Against Stagflation
		7.3.2 Maintaining Economic Growth
		7.3.3 Augmenting People’s Share of National Wealth
		7.3.4 Reverting Power to the People
8 Reforms in the Income Distribution System and Dismantling Entrenched Interests
	8.1 The Challenges that China Faces with Her Reform Process
		8.1.1 Reforms Have Stalled and the Government Has Come Under the Spotlight
		8.1.2 Social Risks in China Tending to Escalate in the Future
		8.1.3 Determined Action and Choice of Right Measures by Higher-Ups Critical to Breaking the Reform Stalemate
	8.2 Breaking Vested Interests Being the Key to Reforming the System of Income Distribution
		8.2.1 Exacerbation of the “Four Gaps” Reflecting Distortions in the System of Income Distribution
		8.2.2 Obstacles Put up to Efforts to Dismantle Vested Interests Being the Greatest Challenge to Reforms of the System of Income Distribution
		8.2.3 Dismantling of Vested Interest Groups Must Begin with Reforms of the Power of the Government
	8.3 Gray Power Must Be Dismantled in Order to Ensure Market Fairness
		8.3.1 Reflecting on the “Three Grays” Phenomenon
		8.3.2 The Adverse Effects of Gray Power
		8.3.3 Dismantling Gray Power Through Reforms
	8.4 Giving Priority to Dismantling the Government’s Special Economic Interests
		8.4.1 The Government’s Interests Must not Be Allowed to Evolve into Specific Economic Interests
		8.4.2 Key to Deepening Reforms of the Administrative System Being the Suppression of Government Privileges
9 The Dual Problem of Social Transformation and Political Reform
	9.1 The Historical Significance of the 12th Five-Year Plan
		9.1.1 The 12th Five-Year Plan Signals Important Changes in Chinese Development
		9.1.2 “Four Unsustainables” Will Force China to Change Its Development Model
	9.2 The Dual Problem of Social Transformation and Political Reform
		9.2.1 Social Transformation and Its Influence
		9.2.2 Problems with Political Reform
	9.3 The Need for Another Round of Emancipation of the Mind
		9.3.1 A Change in the Idea of Governance
		9.3.2 Emancipate the Mind to Solve the Dual Problem
10 Changes in Reform, Development, and Public Governance
	10.1 Challenges to Public Governance in the New Era of Reform and Development
		10.1.1 Big Changes in the Reform and Opening up
		10.1.2 Traditional Development Has Reached the End of the Road
		10.1.3 The Chinese Society Faces More Risks
	10.2 Significance of Reforming Public Governance
		10.2.1 The Importance of Political Reform
		10.2.2 The Future of China’s Public Governance
	10.3 Reform Needs Courage and Wisdom
		10.3.1 Two Types of Resistance to Reform
		10.3.2 Courage and Determination
Part III Transformation of Government Functions and Reforms of the Administrative System in China
11 Optimizing Government Structure with Greater Government Departments
	11.1 The System of Greater Government Departments and the Reform
		11.1.1 The Basic Theory
		11.1.2 The Advantages
	11.2 The Necessity of Introducing the System of Greater Government Departments
		11.2.1 Institutional Restructuring Since the Beginning of Reform and Opening up
		11.2.2 “Small Government, Big Society” is the Goal of the Government
	11.3 Difficulties in Implementing the Reform to Establish Greater Government Departments
		11.3.1 How to Optimize Organizations Under the System of Greater Government Departments
		11.3.2 How to Contain Departmental Interests
		11.3.3 The System of Greater Government Departments is Related to Political Reform
		11.3.4 How to Implement the Reform to Greater Government Departments
	11.4 Assessing the Implementation of the System of Greater Government Departments
		11.4.1 The Implementation
		11.4.2 The Assessment
12 Optimizing Government Structure with Vertical Administrative Reform
	12.1 Reducing Administrative Levels and Delegating Power to Lower Levels
		12.1.1 Look at the Province-Controlled Counties in the Context of the Major Strategy of Urban–rural Integration in China
		12.1.2 Accelerate Reform in Local Governments’ Vertical Administrative Structure
	12.2 Ensure Equal Access to Basic Public Services, and Restructure the Basic Public Service System
	12.3 Deepen Finance Reform to Iron Out Issues Between Central and Local Governments
	12.4 Reforming the System of Selection and Appointment of Officials to Raise the Public Governance Capability of Local Governments
13 Changing the Concept of Governance
	13.1 Enriching the People as a National Strategy
		13.1.1 Should Enriching the People Be Raised to the Level of a National Strategy?
		13.1.2 Implementing the Strategy of Enriching the People
	13.2 Tolerance for Ideas is the Manifestation of the Rulers’ wisdom
		13.2.1 Tolerance for Ideas is an Important Condition for Social Progress
		13.2.2 Tolerance for Ideas Imparts Vitality to the Society
	13.3 Social Management Shall Emphasize Social Service
		13.3.1 Learning the True Meaning of Social Management
		13.3.2 The Core of Social Management is to Improve Social Services
	13.4 Reform Guided by Science-Based Top-Level Design
		13.4.1 Science-Based Top-Level Design Can Reduce Risk of Impasse to Reform
		13.4.2 Reform Success Depends on Science-Based Top-Level Design
14 Transparent Government Operations
	14.1 Forcing Reform by Making Government Business Public
		14.1.1 Making Government Business Public is a Necessity of Modern Governance
		14.1.2 Four Aspects of Government Transparency
	14.2 Codification of Online Political Participation
		14.2.1 Online Political Participation is a New Way of Governance
		14.2.2 Institutionalizing Online Political Participation
	14.3 Use the Law to Regulate Government Behaviors
		14.3.1 Government Officials’ Expense Accounts Should Be Regulated
		14.3.2 Use the Law to Restrict Government Budget and Procurement
	14.4 Declaring Personal Assets of the Officials
		14.4.1 Disclosing Personal Assets is a Common Practice in the World
		14.4.2 The Public Has Great Expectations About Officials’ Personal Assets Disclosure
		14.4.3 Accelerate the Pace of Government Reform and the Officials’ Assets Disclosure System
	14.5 Eradicating Formalism
		14.5.1 Do not Underestimate the Harm of Formalism
		14.5.2 Finding the Cause of Formalism from Within the System
		14.5.3 Combating Formalism Has to Start from the Higher Echelons of the Government
	14.6 The Official Residence System
		14.6.1 The Official Residence System is Practiced Worldwide
		14.6.2 The Official Residence System Prevents Corruption Through Housing Privileges
		14.6.3 Four Suggestions for Establishing the Official Residence System
15 Innovative Governance
	15.1 E-government Innovates Governance
		15.1.1 Achievements and Issues in Developing E-government
		15.1.2 Trends of E-government Development
	15.2 E-government Promotes Innovative Governance
		15.2.1 We Must Insist on a Uniform Base System with Multiple Applications Which Shares Resources and Avoids Duplication of Effort and the Possibility of Fracturing Into Information Silos. This Uniformity Should be a Structural Requirement
		15.2.2 We Must Redefine Network Structures, Scopes, and Even Names to End the Current Confusing Situation and Make Future E-government Development Easier
		15.2.3 Government at All Levels, but Especially the State Council, Must March to the Drumbeat of Uniform E-government Development and End the Fragmented State of Government Networks
		15.2.4 We Should Create a Law-Based Environment Suitable for E-government Development
	15.3 Perfecting IT Application Management to Raise Government Innovation Capability
		15.3.1 IT Application Management is an Urgent Requirement of the Information Age
		15.3.2 China’s IT Application Faces Challenges and Opportunities
		15.3.3 Some Suggestions for Building an IT Application Management System
References