China to further streamline govt administration

BEIJING - Reform-bound China will further its efforts in building a streamlined government administration by exempting more items from central government approval, according to a government work report delivered on Wednesday by Premier Li Keqiang at the opening of the annual session of the country's top legislature.

More than 200 items requiring review and approval of the State Council, China's Cabinet, will be canceled or delegated to lower-level governments this year, Li told nearly 3,000 deputies to the National People's Congress.

Reform is the top priority for the government's work this year, he said, adding that the deepening of the reform of its administrative system is a "revolution the government imposes on itself."

The government will deepen reform of the investment approval system and give businesses full power over their investment decisions, Li said.

"We will make it easy to make investments and start businesses in the country," he added.

Over the past 36 years of its reforms and opening-up, China has experienced at least six rounds of administrative system reforms, which were expected to lead to a smaller government and improve government efficiency.

The country's latest effort in streamlining its government administration through reform marks its commitment to reducing government intervention in the market.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) acknowledged the market's decisive role in allocating resources in a decision on major issues concerning comprehensive deepening reforms, which was approved by the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee in November last year.