China okays trial to limit administrative power

The top legislature on Friday approved a three-year pilot program in south China's Guangdong Province to reform the administrative examination and approval system.

A total of 25 examination items will be temporarily suspended or assigned to authorities at lower levels during the trial period, according to a decision adopted at the closing session of a bimonthly meeting of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

Fifteen items targeted for suspension will be handed over to qualified professional associations outside the government.

If the program is successful, laws will be amended to make the program universal; however, it will be terminated if unsuccessful, according to the decision.

Since 2001, the government has made six attempts to clean up the administrative approval system, which has caused unnecessary government intervention in private business, power abuses and corruption.

Figures from the State Council, or China's cabinet, show that a total of 2,497 administrative approval items have been rescinded or adjusted in the past decade, accounting for 69.3 percent of the total number of items.

Guangdong has pioneered many reforms in the past, including those used to promote transparent policymaking and increase the government's operational efficiency.