Government to further streamline administrative approvals

BEIJING - The Chinese government on Wednesday vowed to further streamline administrative approvals and delegate power to lower levels.

The government will take more measures to deepen reforms on administrative approvals, according to a statement issued after an executive meeting of the State Council, the country's Cabinet.

The meeting was presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.

Transparency will be highlighted and all the procedures that require administrative approvals should be publicized so that society can better supervise the government, the statement said.

No department is allowed to add new items to the list without authorization, the statement said.

Non-administrative approvals by the government should be abolished to ward off any "grey zones" in administrative management, it said.

In three rounds of changes last year, the government freed procedures from administrative approvals or delegated approval power to lower levels.

In 2014, the government will free another 70 procedures from administrative approval or delegate approval to lower levels. For example, there will be no administrative approvals required for water transportation of common goods between provinces, insurance personnel qualifications and accountant qualifications, according to the statement.

The meeting also stressed measures to ensure the livelihood of disadvantaged groups.

The government recently allocated 98.3 billion yuan (16.11 billion U.S. dollars) in basic living allowances or subsidies for the disadvantaged.

The basic pension for retirees from enterprises was raised by 10 percent starting January 1, 2014, and will benefit about 74 million enterprise retirees, the statement said.