Zhejiang administrative changes approved

To catalyze reform and policy piloting, the State Council issued a circular on Oct 15 approving temporary changes to four administrative regulations requested by the eastern province of Zhejiang.

The changes help to streamline administration, improve government services and create a more enabling business environment.

The four regulations are related to marriage registration, quality management, surveys and design of construction projects, and drug sector administration.

Under one of the changes, mainland couples undertaking marriage or divorce procedures can choose any marriage registration authority in Zhejiang if either party is a registered permanent resident in the province.

Prior to the change, such couples had to opt for either of the authorities that held their household registration information.

For construction projects, the adjusted rules allow the province to manage and regulate construction design documents by categorization, exempting projects in low- risk categories from review, according to the circular.

Before, blueprint documents could not be implemented until the end of a government review.

Entrepreneurs looking to register businesses in pharmaceutical retailing in the province will no longer require regulatory approval for startup preparations.

The adjustments will be effective until Dec 31, 2023.

The circular urged related State Council departments and the Zhejiang government to align their regulations with the latest changes and shape supervision and management systems to better match the reforms.