China releases highlights of 2018 government work disclosure

China will further publicize its governmental work in 2018 in four main aspects: responding to public concerns, improving government services, building platforms for information disclosure, and standardizing information openness, said a circular issued by the State Council on April 24.

The move is aimed at pushing forward restructuring governmental bodies, advancing administration streamlining and power delegating, facilitating the sustainability of economic and social development, and laying the groundwork for the construction of a service-oriented government.

According to the document, an all-around governmental work disclosure will be bound by legislative work, which means that all items and policies, unless legally subject to confidentiality, should be open to the public, in order to facilitate law-based administration and protect people's right-to-know.

Major sectors will be granted more autonomy in information disclosure, including fiscal budget and final accounts, approval and implementation of significant projects, distribution of public resources, and more.

Policies on market expectancy will be mapped out in further detail, highlighting interpretations for policies regarding precautions against major risks, targeted poverty alleviation, and pollution prevention.

Efforts should also be made to further active reaction to public opinion in terms of their major concerns, and efficiently forecast, analyze, and deal with those associated with important policies on the economy and society, authority of the Communist Party of China and the government, and public morality.

The document also called for further improving online governmental services, with an increasing number of service items available on the internet, bringing more convenience to the public.

Governmental services in physical offices will be continuously strengthened, which comes with a unified set of standards and integrated work flow, greatly enhancing the efficiency and quality of governmental services.

Furthermore, approval services will be further optimized in accordance with the policy of streamlining administration and delegating powers, including timely disclosure of when enterprises are open for business, simplified procedures for approving construction projects, among others.

Regulations in constructing e-government portals will be stepped up, the circular stressed, in order to substantially amplify information resources, and upgrade the information retrieval system and other related services.

Weibo, WeChat, and mobile service applications will be intensely utilized to further information disclosure, and governmental hotlines will be systematically integrated to benefit the public.

Additionally, positive disclosure of basic directory on government affairs will be implemented at all levels, according to the circular.