Public Policy Making in China: Development and Challenges

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Public Policy Making in China Development and
Challenges

• Prof. Lan Xue
• School of Public Policy and Management
• Tsinghua University
• 2005.3.13-15
• ( This research is partly supported by a grant
  from NSFC, approval number 70125005)

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Outline

• A brief review of Chinas policy making process
  prior to 1979
• Changes in public policy process since 1979
• Response from the government and society
• The role of expertise the case of think tanks
• Challenges and future developments of Chinas
  public policy process

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I?A brief review of Chinas policy making process
prior to 1979

• Government and the party is everywhere, making
  almost all important policies
• Highly centralized decisions are made top down,
  with political considerations dominates
• The process is opaque, general public knew little
  about whats going on inside the government
• It is the game of the small group of the
  political elites, general publics concern has
  to be channeled through this elite group
• .
• Nathan, Andrew. A Factionalism Model for CCP
  PoliticsLieberthal, Kenneth and Oksenberg,
  Michel. Policy Making in China Leaders,
  Structures, and Processes Shirk, Susan L. The
  Political Logic of Economic Reform in China..

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II?Changes in public policy process since 1979 (A)

• Since late 1970s, China is experiencing a
  sustained economic growth and historical
  transformation
• Economic system
• Planned economy-gtMarket economy
• Agriculture economy-gtIndustrial and knowledge
  economy
• Social system
• Rural and closed society -gtUrban and open society
• Governance structure
• Personal will and charisma-gtRule of law and
  democratic principle

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Changes in public policy process since 1979 (B)

• A stratified society with competing values and
  diverse interestsgtthe capability to participate
  in policy process is very different (e.g.
  farmers, migrant labors vs new-riches)
• Entrenched bureaucratic structure with vested
  interests
• Public participation in policy process through
  various channels (Peoples Congress, public
  hearing meetings)
• The new public forum for policy debates in the
  cyberspace (the case of Sun, Zhiguang)
• The challenge for policy implementation in the
  local governments where great disparity exists
• ..

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III?Responses from the government and the society

• strengthening policy capacity within the
  government
• Office of Policy Studies at Central government
  ministries and local government
• Government affiliated research institutes
• The development of expertise outside government
• The growth of think tanks
• Collective studies by the Politburo
• Consultation meetings with outside experts
• Mechanism for public participation
• Public hearing system
• ST Planning websites for public opinions

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Expert consultation meeting on coordinated
development on June 17, 2003

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IV?The role of expertise Think tanks in China

• A typology of think tanks in China (graph 1)
• The development of think tanks (graph 2)
• The role of think thanks
• Bringing issues to policy agenda
• Policy formulation and consultation
• Policy implementation
• Facilitate implementations
• Implementation evaluation

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(No Transcript)
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The development of think tanks in China (2004
survey)
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V?Chinas public policy Challenges and future
developments

• All recent changes in development perspectives
  point to the urgent need for better public
  policy
• Three representsgthow best to represent the
  fundamental interests of the broad spectrum of
  the public?
• Five coordinated developmentsgthow to weigh
  trade-offs for different policy options?
• Harmonious societygthow to improve the policy
  process as well as the distributional outcome of
  a policy?

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How to increase policy literacy and capacity of
government?

• Understanding the basic idea of public policy can
  be of great help for government officials, but
  how?
• Capacity building in the government can actually
  promote better attention and resources allocated
  to policy work, but in the face of PSU reform and
  downsizing, government in-house policy units may
  face further cut

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How to increase the capacity of civil society
enhance its role in policy process?

• Capacity building from issues to solutions
• The need to institutionalize of the role of civil
  society in policy process
• Building linkages government-civil
  society-business

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How to harness expert opinions in the policy
process?

• Expert advice
• neutral technical advice
• Vested interests
• Own value judgment.
• The case of technology choice (see graph)
• Solution?
• Ethical standard?
• Competition idea market?

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Technology choice or bureaucratic competition
China standard?

• European Standard?

Magnetic Levitation?
Shigansen?