Expert: Local govts need to be proactive

The central government should enhance supervision to ensure that reform measures can be implemented by local authorities to benefit the public, said a senior official of a think tank.

Yang Keqin, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Governance, said on Sunday that even though the central authorities have made efforts to streamline administration, some local government departments are not proactive in implementing the new rules.

"The reform measures were discounted by low-level governmental bodies and, as a result, the public has no feelings for the advantages brought about by the measures," he said.

Yang made the remarks in Beijing during a symposium held by the China Society of Administration Reform, a government-supported think tank established four years ago.

The State Council, China's cabinet, canceled or delegated to lower-level government 468 administrative approvals as of early this month, since the new government was elected in March 2013.

Some local government departments have followed suit to cancel approvals, but many of those will not bring real benefits to people, Yang said.

Local authorities are reluctant to cancel key approvals, and it remains difficult for the public to deal with many government agencies, he said.

Last week, the central government released a plan to initiate an overall inspection to ensure that the policies made by central authorities are effectively implemented.

Yang Jing, a State councilor and also secretary-general of the State Council, said on June 9 that inspectors will check and oversee the implementation of this year's Government Work Report and the measures put forward by the State Council since last year.

The central government's policies should be put into practice effectively to benefit the public and raise the government's credibility, he said.