The State Council on Wednesday decided to scrap 128
administrative procedures for examination and approval and amend 58
in order to cut government red tape.
The decision was made during an executive meeting presided over
by Premier Wen Jiabao.
"The elimination and adjustment of the 186 administrative
procedures is conducive to smoothing relations between the
government and markets, government and enterprises, government and
society and government and the public," said a circular from the
State Council.
Since October 2001, the State Council has pushed a comprehensive
reform of administrative procedures for examination and approval,
and scrapped 1,806 items subject to examination and approval, said
the circular.
The circular gave no details of the procedures that had been
amended or scrapped.
The reform had laid a solid foundation for the government that
could more effectively administer public services and social order,
it said.
"Many redundant and excessive procedures have been eliminated,"
it said, adding the government should deepen the reform, strengthen
supervision over administrative and approval rights and build a
government ruled by law.
(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2007)