China’s capital has announced the country’s first so-called negative list regulating the behavior of government officials when dealing with entrepreneurs, as part of the latest attempt to reinvigorate private sector confidence and accelerate economic growth. .
The Beijing Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission document lists 10 categories of misconduct, including disregard for business needs, inaction or inertia in providing services to businesses, selective law enforcement, unlawful interference, and abuse of power. has been done.
The document, reported Monday by state news agency Xinhua, also included prohibitions on gifts, junkets, receiving company stock and paid part-time work.
Market access, financing and fair competition still require our continued attention
Zhu Tian, a professor at the China-Europe International Business School in Shanghai, said policymakers should instead focus squarely on difficult issues such as market access, financing and fair competition.
“Beijing’s negative list will constrain officials, as top leadership expects more interaction with private companies and government officials to fulfill their pro-business responsibilities.” Mr. Zhu added.
He added that there are sufficient disciplinary guidelines and anti-corruption laws within the Communist Party, and that the biggest complaint among private companies is not “the way officials behave.”
“Market access, financing and fair competition still require our continued attention,” Zhu added.
China’s private companies cry that support measures are “just lip service”
China’s private companies cry that support measures are “just lip service”
The private sector accounts for more than 60% of China’s gross domestic product (GDP), but confidence has been greatly diminished by the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic and widespread regulatory crackdowns on internet giants, gaming and tutoring in recent years. is damaged.
“The relationship between government officials and entrepreneurs must be close but free of corruption, and there must be boundaries and rules to improve the business environment,” state news agency Xinhua said in a list report on Monday. Ta.
Economic powers in regions with a high concentration of private enterprises, such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang, have launched similar programs to foster relationships with private enterprises, ensuring minimal interference, good communication and appropriate Trying to secure support.
Some cities, such as Yiwu, a manufacturing hub in Zhejiang province, are also incorporating private sector growth into local public evaluation systems.
It also set concrete targets for frontline staff, such as quotas for the number of visits to private companies and the number of problems to identify and solve.
A private entrepreneur based in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, said, “Instead of pushing the government too hard, we need to solve the real ‘problems’ that officials are already well aware of, such as market access and fiscal burden.” I need to get it,” he said. The person did not wish to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.
you can see some [officials] Choose to do less to play it safe
Wenzhou, where the private sector contribution to local GDP is the highest in China, already piloted a similar list in 2019, which resulted in “some improvement” in the business environment, the entrepreneur added.
“[However,] Our lives haven’t gotten much easier,” they said.
“We feel that there are people who are trying to reduce their interaction with us right now.
“You can see some [officials] Choose to do less to play it safe. Even if they visit us or call us, they are just performing a ritual. ”