CHINA KEY PHRASES

Editor’s note: In this column we introduce phrases frequently used in the Chinese media and by the Chinese government, thereby providing a succinct overview of China’s political thinking, its policies, and ongoing reforms and transitions.  

转变政府职能

转变政府职能是深化行政体制改革的核心,它实质上要解决政府应该做什么，不应该做什么,重点是明析政府、市场、社会的关系,即哪些事应该由市场、社会、政府各自分担,哪些事应该由三者共同承担。总体上看,改革开放以来,中国各级政府在转变政府职能方面取得了重大成就,积累了宝贵经验,有力推进了社会主义现代化建设。但现在政府职能转变还不到位,政府对微观经济运行干预过多过细,宏观经济调节还不完善,市场监管问题较多,社会管理亟待加强,公共服务比较薄弱,必须下更大决心、更大力度推进政府职能转变,以更好适应深化改革开放、加快转变经济发展方式、转变工作作风、维护社会和谐稳定的迫切要求。

Transforming Government Functions

Transforming government functions is at the core of a more in-depth administrative structural reform drive. Essentially it involves determining what the government should and should not do, by clarifying the roles of the government, the market and society, i.e., clearly defining what should be dealt with by each of them individually or jointly.

Generally speaking, since the reform and opening-up policy was introduced in the late 1970s, great progress has been made in transforming the functions of the governments at all levels, and valuable experience gained, providing strong impetus to the country’s modernization process.

However, much remains to be done in this respect. Government intervention in the micro-economy is still considered excessive and too intrusive. It is also imperative to improve macro-economic regulation, and address inadequacies in market regulation, and social and public services. With greater resolve, we must intensify our push for transforming government functions. Only by doing so, can we better meet the pressing challenges to drive the process of reform and opening-up to a deeper level, speed up the transformation of the growth model, encourage ethical conduct, and maintain social harmony and stability.

把权力关进制度的笼子里

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把权力关进制度的笼子里,就是要加强对权力运行的制约和监督,形成不敢腐的惩戒机制、不能腐的防范机制、不易腐的保障机制｡这三个机制实际上就是标本兼治、惩防并举的反腐倡廉体系的制度化标准｡围绕三个机制建设,中国已建立纲纪严明的制度规范,让制度发挥其应有的作用｡真正做到:任何人都没有法律之外的绝对权力,任何人行使权力都必须为人民服务、对人民负责并自觉接受人民监督。

Confining the Exercise of Power within an Institutional Cage

The move to confine the exercise of power within an institutional cage is meant to strengthen oversight of the work of the government and deter possible misuse of power by government officials. It entails establishing a mechanism that prevents, deters, and punishes corruption. Such a mechanism should provide institutional firepower to fight corruption and promote integrity, by addressing both the symptoms and root causes of corruption with combined measures of punishment and prevention. To this end, China has established an effective framework of accountability with institutional checks on corruption. It is designed to ensure that no official enjoys absolute power above the law and that all officials exercise power to serve the people, are accountable to them and accept their oversight.

让权力在阳光下运行

让权力在阳光下运行,就是要健全权力运行制约和监督体系,让人民监督权力,确保国家机关按照法定权限和程序行使权力｡要强化制约,合理分解和配置权力,不同性质的权力由不同部门、单位、个人行使,形成合理的权力结构和运行机制｡要强化监督,着力改进对领导干部特别是一把手行使权力的监督,加强领导班子内部监督,加强行政监察、审计监督、巡视监督｡纪委派驻监督要对党和国家机关全覆盖,巡视监督要对地方、部门、企事业单位全覆盖｡要强化公开,推行地方各级政府及其工作部门权力清单制度,依法公开权力运行流程,让权力在阳光下运行,让人们监督,保证权力正确行使｡增强权力制约和监督效果,还必须保证各级纪委监督权的相对独立性和权威性。

Greater Transparency in the Exercise of Power

Greater transparency in the exercise of power requires an improved system of checks and balances, and greater participation of the people in monitoring the way in which authority is used, so as to ensure that government departments and agencies exercise power within their respective mandates and in accordance with procedural requirements. In addition to more constraints on power, it entails rational separation and distribution of powers. It is important to put in place a sound system and implementation mechanisms through which different functions are performed by different government departments, agencies or individuals. Oversight should be stepped up, and the performance of government functions, particularly by those who hold top positions at all levels, should be placed under more rigorous scrutiny. Internal oversight should also be strengthened, and so should administrative supervision, auditing, and onsite inspections.

The presence of commissions for discipline inspection should be extended to all Party and state bodies, and onsite inspections should cover all government departments, state enterprises, and public institutions nationwide. To increase transparency, a complete list of powers should be established for governments at all levels and their functional departments, and procedures for exercising power made public in accordance with the law. Oversight by the people is essential to ensuring greater accountability and appropriate exercise of public authority. Any move to strengthen checks and balances and oversight must be accompanied by measures to ensure the independence and authority of commissions for discipline inspection in performing their duties.

Selected from Keywords to Understanding China published by China Academy of Translation and China International Publishing Group.