China renews evaluation methods for SOE leaders

BEIJING -- China has renewed the performance appraisal methods for leaders of the country's state-owned enterprises (SOEs), said the state assets supervising authority on March 10.

The new methods take both SOE leaders' annual and tenure performances into consideration, highlight industry-classified and grade-differentiated evaluation, while adhering to international and industrial standards, according to the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC).

Eyeing high-quality development, the new methods will be implemented this year.

The methods cover a number of detailed indexes, including benefit, efficiency, technological innovation, international presence, risk control, energy conservation and environmental protection.

For example, as far as technological innovation is concerned, the SASAC encourages SOE leaders to increase research and development (R&D) input and treat R&D investment as profit.

The new methods will improve the leaders' annual returns by promoting their rewarding percentage according to the SOEs' profits.

This is the fifth adjustment since the performance appraisal methods were first introduced in October 2003.

China has steadily pushed forward SOE reforms in recent years, such as mixed ownership reform.