Future development steps outlined at the Third Plenum
- By Eugene Clark
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E-mail China.org.cn, November 13, 2013
Continuing judicial reforms
It is important also that President Xi Jinping has emphasized the need for continual judicial system reform as an important component of China's development. This includes greater independence of the judiciary, enhanced transparency, improved checks and balances of power, and achieving a more efficient and effective administration of justice.
Combating corruption
Also central to China's economic reform is the need for more effective programs to fight corruption. Indeed, economists, sociologists, political scientists and policy analysts, among others, have done a lot of good empirical work pointing to the causes of corruption, its spread in a global economy and its consequences in terms of negatively impacting growth, obstructing needed reforms, perverting resource allocation, impeding genuine income distribution to all levels of society and undermining trust in authority. This research shows that the level of corruption in a society is directly linked to the quality of government, the ethics and virtue inherent in private and public sector organizations and activity, and the level of trust citizens have in their public institutions and private organizations.
Learning organizations; focus on education
China's most important resource is its people. Accordingly, underpinning China's reform must be a sustained focus on a high standard of education at all levels, from early childhood through to tertiary education. Beyond formal education and basic research, the goal must be for all organizations to commit to becoming "learning organizations" dedicated to emulating and hopefully increasingly creating world's "best practice" in everything they do.
Importance of technology
China's reform initiatives also have properly placed a great deal of importance on technological advancement. For example, technology is part of the answer to cleaning the environment and developing more environmentally friendly manufacturing. Technology and big data can promote better decision making and greater transparency. Technology via social media can empower citizens to participate more fully in reform initiatives and enable government to deliver its services more efficiently and effectively. Technology via e-commerce can bring China to the world and the world to China. Technology can help bridge the economic and educational divide between East and West China and between rural and urban areas.
International cooperation
While China must find and pursue its own path to development, it must be recognized that China is part of a global community. It cannot achieve its goals alone. Indeed, the Chinese dream is inextricably linked to a wider dream in which all countries must constructively participate if the world is to move forward towards peaceful and sustainable development.
Culture, discipline and evolutionary change
Reforms and genuine change will not come about by simply passing a law or making a report. Look at the number of patrons in a restaurant smoking in front of the "No Smoking" sign to evidence that point. China must find a way to build upon the best elements of its long and glorious culture to find the way forward to make 21st century dreams, including a "beautiful China" a reality. This change will take place, as it always has -- one person, one government department, one plenum, one step at a time until a tipping point is reached and change becomes significant and lasting. For this reason, CPC leaders have emphasized the importance of individual discipline with each person doing their part to ensure reforms are successful.
The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:http://www.keyanhelp.cn/opinion/eugeneclark.htm
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