CRI听力:Premier's Article on Administrative Reform

At the beginning of the article, Premier Li Keqiang notes that moves to deepen administrative reforms and transform government functions are a strong driving force and important guarantee for development.

He highlights the transformation of government functions as the core of administrative reform, blaming excess governmental intervention and supervision for sapping economic vitality, incurring high administrative costs, and providing breeding grounds for corruption.

He says China's history and reforms and opening-up over the past three decades have proved that over-regulation stifles progress.

The premier makes it clear that the overall goal of the reform is to streamline administration and delegate power, combine power delegation with effective oversight, and improve service, all in a coordinated way.

He believes such a three-pronged approach will encourage mass entrepreneurship and innovation - a driving force for the country's prosperity and the improvement of its social equity.

He also underscores the role of the reform in boosting a medium-high-level growth rate under the "new normal."

Meanwhile, he notes that deepening this reform will take courage and wisdom, as more deep-lying problems and vested interests will be targeted and the accustomed style of management will be changed.

He says such a reform is just like taking a knife to one's own flesh.

In deepening the administrative reform, Li emphasizes that the process must be transparent and carried out in unison between the higher and lower levels of government, with the reform's effectiveness evaluated by the public.

He adds that while reducing and delegating powers, the government should step up the management and restriction of its powers through a strong system, introducing rule of law, enhancing law-based administration, and making itself a law-based government.

Finally, the Premier urges enhanced leadership and planning to ensure the reform moves forward in an active yet prudent manner.

Over the past two years since the reform started, agencies of the State Council have canceled or delegated administrative approval power for nearly 540 items, meeting its target two years ahead of schedule.

The number of investment projects subject to central government approval is down by 76% and most overseas investment projects can now proceed without administrative approval.

At the central government level, 420 administrative fees and government managed funds have been abolished or reduced, resulting in a cut of nearly 100 billion yuan, or about 17 billion US dollars, in revenue.

For CRI, I'm XYee.