Key Terms to Understand Reform and Opening Up

The China Academy of Translation has analyzed prevailing terms concerning the reform and opening-up policy and translated them into a number of foreign languages. The research institute is affiliated with the China International Publishing Group， the countrys leading international publisher. In each issue， Beijing Review presents a selection of these terms to help readers more deeply understand this program.

A New Type of GovernmentBusiness Relationship

On March 4， 2016， Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed a new type of government-business relationship when he met members of the Democratic National Construction Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce at the fourth session of the 12th Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference National Committee. He described it as a “close” and “clean” relationship.

In a “close” relationship， government officials must be open and forthright when interacting with private businesses， taking the initiative to provide them with the services needed and help them when they come across difficulties or problems. They should spend more time communicating with private sector entrepreneurs， consulting them， offering them needed advice and helping them resolve issues in their operations， in a genuine effort to help grow the private sector. For a “clean” relationship， government officials should keep a straightforward relationship with private businesses with no hidden agenda， or any intention or attempt to use their position or authority to further private interests or for financial gains. Private businesses， for their part， must maintain a“close” relationship with the government by being upfront and truthful about their situation， communicate with the Communist Party of China （CPC） committees and government departments at different levels， and present candid views and constructive suggestions that will help promote local development.

A “clean” relationship means honest corporate citizens who do what is right and operate in full compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

National Supervision System Reform

Reform of the national supervision system is an important， cross-cutting political institutional reform measure. Pilot reform projects were rolled out in Beijing， Shanxi and Zhejiang in November 2016 to explore the feasibility of establishing supervisory commissions at the provincial and local levels.

The 19th CPC National Congress in 2017 announced that China will deepen reform of the national supervision system， extend trial projects throughout the country， and establish supervisory commissions at the national， provincial， prefectural and county levels. These will work together with the Partys disciplinary inspection commissions as one offi ce while keeping their own identity. This will ensure that supervision covers everyone in the public sector who exercises public power. A national supervision law will be formulated. Supervisory commissions will be given responsibilities， powers and means of investigation in accordance with law. The practice of shuanggui （a form of intraparty disciplinary action that requires a Party member under investigation to cooperate with questioning at a designated place and a designated time） will be replaced by detention.

A draft decision on expanding supervision system reform pilot projects throughout the country was adopted by the Standing Committee of the 12th National Peoples Congress（NPC） at its 30th session in October 2017. By February 2018， supervisory commissions had been established at the provincial， prefectural and county levels across the country. On March 20， 2018， the fi rst session of the 13th NPC adopted the Supervision Law， and three days later， the National Supervisory Commission began operation.

Government Power List System

Lists of government powers catalogue the functions and powers of Chinas executive branch at different levels. These lists are available for public scrutiny. At its third plenary session in November 2013， the 18th CPC Central Committee decided to put in place a transparent system whereby the powers of local governments and their departments are catalogued to ensure these powers are exercised according to the law. At its fourth plenary session in October 2014， the 18th CPC Central Committee decided to further implement the transparency initiative in order to eliminate any room for personal profi teering.

This initiative is crucial to Chinas effort to upgrade its governance system and capacity. It is designed to ensure that no public authority exercises or assumes any power that is not granted by the law.