Bizarre docs to be binned

In order to protect the legitimate rights and interests of people, enhance government credibility and build a service-oriented government, the State Council, China’s Cabinet, recently issued a notice on “strengthening supervision over the formulation of administrative documents”. Such a notice, aimed at putting a stop to “bizarre documents” by local governments and promoting administration in accordance with the law is long overdue.

According to an official from the Ministry of Justice, 31 provincial-level governments and the governments of 37 large cities across China have issued 150 documents in the past year of which 78 are effective. And while some function well, others function badly because they contradict extant laws, regulations or popular practices, ranging from a document that designates locally-produced goods for residents to consume, to one that forbids employees from taking a vacation or forbids residents from organizing a banquet for a remarriage. Such kinds of bizarre documents, which have been frequently exposed in recent years, not only infringe on the legitimate rights and interests of citizens, they also seriously undermine the credibility of the issuing governments.

The formulation of standardized and feasible administrative documents is an important way and means for the country’s administrative organs to perform their duties according to law. In this sense, while issuing their administrative documents, local governments should respect and abide by the existing laws and regulations. They should bear in mind that administrative interventions should not constitute an infringement on people’s and other market players’ legal rights and interests.

Before their formulation, any administrative documents, important ones in particular, should solicit public opinions and be carefully evaluated and amended as necessary. Any bizarre documents should be discarded.

— PEOPLE’S DAILY