Function role to be regulated

The State Council announced on June 5 a decision to regulate function adjustments between old and new government institutions to ensure cohesion and coordination amid a cabinet reshuffle.

According to the decision, new institutions should take up functions and duties stated in the State Council institutional reform plan after their setting up is completed. If the institutions have not been established, original institutions should continue their duties under the current administrative laws. Local administrative institutions should follow the above principle. The principle shall also apply for adjustments in local administrative institutions.

The State Council institutional reform, which was approved at the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress, reduces the number of ministerial-level entities by eight and vice-ministerial-level entities by seven. New entities include the ministries of natural resources, veteran affairs, and emergency management, and new administrations under the State Council include an international development cooperation agency and a State immigration administration.

If the institutions at the upper level have completed the restructuring but those beneath them have not, then institutions at the upper level should take over responsibilities of approval, filing for record or other functions of management or supervision.

If the implementation of the State Council institutional reform plan involves the making, revising or abolishing of administrative regulations or decisions from the State Council, relevant government departments should make their suggestions in time and present them to the Ministry of Justice for submission to the State Council for approval.

Relevant State Council departments should revise or abolish regulations or guidelines in time to enable the implementation of the reform plan.

New nature reserves named

The State Council General Office publicized on June 7 five new national nature reserves that were approved by the central government.

The Taikuan River in Shanxi province, the upstream section of the Songhua River in Toudao township, Jilin province, Zengfengling Mountain in Jilin province, Xilin River in Heilongjiang province, and the Dasha River in Guizhou province were named as national nature reserves, the State Council announced on its website.

The area, scope and functions of the new national nature reserves will be published by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment at another date.

The State Council urged regional authorities and departments to fulfill the responsibility of protecting the ecology and environment and step up leadership, organization and coordination.

Financial investment should be boosted and supervision and law enforcement should be stepped up to punish violations of the law or regulations.

Management of nature reserves should also remain compatible with the local economic and social development and residential production and life activities, the State Council said.

Administrative services get boost

China will overhaul government requirements on certifications to make it easier for the general public and enterprises to access administrative services, according to a decision at a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on June 6.

Those that can be canceled should be done immediately for requirements on certification set by State Council department regulations or guidelines, and the revision or abolishing of regulations or files should be accelerated. For requirements for certifications that can be replaced through legal licenses or promises in written form, requests should be submitted to lawmakers if their canceling involves revision to the law.

A number of items that require certification will be canceled before the end of this year.

Requirements on certification set by local authorities should also be canceled before the end of this year unless such requirements are stipulated by local law or regulations. Local government departments are required to publish lists of requirements on certification that have been, or are yet to be, canceled. Government departments, public institutions and agencies shall not ask for certifications outside the lists.

Credit system to enhance business

China will step up the development of a social credit system to improve its business environment, according to a decision at the State Council executive meeting on June 6.

Key priorities include setting up a credit-centered regulatory system to improve the business environment. A blacklist mechanism will be introduced. Law violations including infringement, counterfeiting and cheating in the marketplace and fraudulent advertising will be resolutely tackled and made public.

It was also decided at the meeting that information safety shall be better safeguarded, and commercial secrets and individual privacy should be protected.