At the executive meeting of the State Council presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on January 7, the measures to standardize and improve administrative examination and approval procedures was adopted to improve the government credibility and executive ability. It is believed that to solve the feedback problems in administrative examination and approval from the masses is a deepened government reform based on the cancellation of administrative procedures and delegation of administrative power to lower levels. At the same time, it is also a key step to promote transformation of government functions, streamline administration and delegate power to the lower levels and combine delegation of power with appropriate control. It will be helpful for improving administrative efficiency, promoting administration by law, preventing from power rent-seeking and stimulating social vitality and creativity. In the principle of “administration by law, openness and fairness, convenience for the people and high efficiency and strict accountability”, the meeting adopted the measures for “one-window administrative services”. Each department is required to designate a single location to receive applications for government approvals and to draw up a service guide for the public and businesses, containing application requirements, basic procedures and sample texts. A commitment to a time limit based on acceptance document from the departments is also necessary, and no department should extend the promised time limit for any reason. This is to avoid long-time delay of handling of applications. This is an exploration for providing one-stop administrative services under the leadership of one department and the coordination of other departments to speed up the administrative examination and approvals. In addition, related authorities are required to set universal standards for each approval, specifying the content and key areas they will examine as well as the standards. The authorities are not allowed to raise or lower the thresholds without related approval. This is to avoid power execution at discretion. Procedures, progress and results should be made known to the public unless state secrets, business secrets or individual privacy are involved. All departments are obliged to inform applicants of each procedure and to provide timely consultation services. The internal supervision and inspection and social supervision should be enhanced and applicant review system should be established to avoid black-box operations and to clearly inform the masses. Finally, the authorities should continue to push forward the implementation of online approvals (including on-line preliminary application and review) and to strengthen information sharing between the departments of the State Council and between the central and local governments to provide convenience for the applicants. It is a way to build a government service brand with convenient, efficient and transparent administrative services.

Source: Nanfang Daily, January 8, 2015