II. Push for greater depth in streamlining administration and delegating power to further unleash market vitality and public creativity
二、推動簡政放權向縱深發展，進一步釋放市場活力和社會創造力

To deepen this reform takes both courage and wisdom. The reform has come to a stage where more deep-lying problems and vested interests will be targeted and the accustomed style of management will be changed. This is by no means an easy task. What makes it even more difficult is that as a self-imposed reform by the government to shed and restrain its own power, to streamline administration and delegate power is just like taking a knife to one's own flesh. This is like sailing upstream against strong headwind. We would get pushed back if no progress is made, or simply if progress is not made fast enough. To ensure national development and people's well-being and sustained and sound economic and social development and that the economy continues to perform in a proper range, we must speed up this reform with utmost determination and courage. We must ensure the thoroughness of the reform without skipping or watering down any step or leaving any issue unaddressed. It is also important to design the reform measures properly and choose the approach and method wisely in light of specific circumstances to ensure smooth progress and greater effectiveness of the reform.
深化簡政放權，既要有勇氣，也要有智慧。改革進行到現在，要更多觸及深層次矛盾、觸動利益的“奶酪”，還要改變原來習慣的管理方式，很不容易。何況，簡政放權實質是政府的自身革命，自我削權限權就像割自己的肉，更為困難。目前這一改革如同頂風逆水搏激流，不僅不進則退，慢進也會退。為了國家發展和人民福祉，為了使經濟運行保持在合理區間，實現經濟社會持續健康發展，我們必須以壯士斷腕的決心和勇氣，著力把簡政放權加快向前推進。堅決把該“放”的徹底放開、該“減”的徹底減掉、該“清”的徹底清除，不留尾巴、不留死角、不搞變通。同時，要做好深化簡政放權的統籌謀劃，因地制宜，講究策略和方法，確保改革順利推進和取得更大成效。

In deepening this reform, three things are vital. First, the reform must be a transparent process. Our policy must meet the needs of the people. It is the people who feel most deeply about the problems in our review and approval system and know the best what needs to be changed and how reform should proceed. Instead of simply asking the people to accept government decisions, the government should give the people the right to decide. It is their needs and what they feel most strongly about that should be the main focus of the reform. And steps and pathways of the reform should be formulated accordingly. We need more targeted and detailed measures to remove the "choking points" in innovation, "stumbling blocks" in getting things done and "blind spots" in regulation and service. Second, the reform must be carried out in unison between the higher and lower levels of government. As an old Chinese saying goes, "An army wins that unite all its ranks around the same spirit." In the context of this major reform, different levels of government must work closely together. For governments at higher levels, they need to listen to the suggestions from lower levels, the grassroots level in particular, to make the reform plan more feasible and operable. For governments at lower levels, while following through on the instructions from above, it is important to come up with concrete implementation steps suited to the actual circumstances. Except for matters concerning major public interests such as national security, environmental security and public health, the priority should be to reduce matters requiring approval. In cases where power delegation is duly required, different departments need to check with each other to ensure that the entire approval chain is delegated. No department shall cling to the power or simply pass on the responsibility without giving up the final say. Otherwise, any single department that refuses to delegate its power could completely stall a business start-up or investment program. That is why there must be a deadline for any necessary approval, be it before or after registration. The departments must link up their approval system and make relevant information known to the public. To which level should power be delegated shall be determined on the basis of the due responsibilities of local governments instead of passing the buck and simply leaving it to the grassroots-level government which may not be capable of handling the delegated matters. Third, it is up to the public to evaluate the effectiveness of the reform. Ultimately, it is the level of satisfaction of the people and companies and the actual results that should serve as the criteria for our reform efforts. The result should be measured not only by how hard we work or how many approval items we have abolished or delegated, but rather by if it is easier for our people and businesses to get things done with less time, money and energy.
深化簡政放權，要注重把握好三點：一要開門搞改革。民之所望，施政所向。人民群眾對審批之弊感受最深，對改什么、如何改最有發言權。我們要把主要由政府部門“端菜”變為更多由人民群眾“點菜”，以群眾需求為導向、從反映強烈的突出問題入手，確定深化改革的重點、措施和路徑，更為精準、更加精細地清除阻礙創新發展的“堵點”、影響干事創業的“痛點”和監管服務的“盲點”。二要上下聯動。上下同欲者勝。在簡政放權這場重大改革中，上下必須協同推進。上級政府在設計改革方案時，要重視聽取下級特別是基層政府的意見，使改革舉措更具可行性、操作性。下級政府在貫徹執行上級要求的同時，要結合自身實際制定好落實的具體辦法。除涉及國家安全、生態安全和公眾健康等重大公共利益事項外，其他的審批事項原則上要以取消為主。確需下放的，各部門要協調同步，把整個審批鏈全下放，不能你放他不放、責放權不放。只要有一個部門不放，企業創業和投資項目就整個運作不起來。因此，有關部門對確需保留的審批事項，不論是前置還是后置，都要有時限要求，而且要聯網、要公開。事項下放到哪一級，要根據地方各級政府的職責來確定，不能層層往下甩包袱，最后導致基層接不住。三要由人民群眾和實踐評判改革成效。群眾和企業滿意不滿意，實踐效果如何，是檢驗簡政放權成效的根本標準。不能光看你下了多大功夫，數字上取消下放了多少，關鍵要看群眾和企業辦起事來是不是快了、花錢少了、成本低了。

Solid efforts should be made to promote streamlined administration and delegate power this year with clearly-set priorities and deadlines.
關于今年的簡政放權工作，最近國務院常務會議已作出全面部署，各地區各部門要認真貫徹執行。為確保落實到位，必須突出重點、明確時限、扎實推進。

(I) Cut down still more review and approval items to earnestly lower the threshold to employment, entrepreneurship and innovation. By the end of May, we will finish sorting out all items requiring non-governmental review and approval by the State Council departments and will thereafter revoke such review and approval category. By the end of the year, we will further revoke some items greater in "value" to society, such as administrative review and approval, review and preliminary approval of investment project, qualification and credential review and certification as well as making performance evaluation, reaching standards, and awarding commendations. By removing by the end of the year over 200 administrative review and approval items as previously designated by the central government for implementation by local governments, we will open greater space for local governments to delegate power.
（一）再砍掉一批審批事項，切實降低就業創業創新門檻。5月底前，全面完成國務院部門非行政許可審批事項清理工作，今后不再保留這一審批類別。年底前，再取消一批“含金量”高的行政審批、投資項目核準及前置審批、資質資格許可認定、評比達標表彰等事項。清理取消中央指定地方實施的行政審批事項，年底前取消200項以上，為地方放權進一步打開空間。

(II) Cut down still more review and approval items by intermediaries to truly dismantle the so-called "revolving doors" and "glass doors". We should speed up efforts to formulate and announce a list of intermediary services of administrative review and approval by State Council departments while simplifying procedures for intermediary evaluation. We should completely delink the intermediaries from administrative review and approval agencies so as to cut off the chain of interests between the two. Obviously, China's intermediary services fall far short of those in developed countries, an area that promises great potential as a new growth point. Sorting out and regulating intermediary services should not result in restricting their development. Rather, it is aimed at promoting their better and faster development by creating a level playing field and strengthening their functions of services.
（二）再砍掉一批審批中介事項，切實拆除“旋轉門”、“玻璃門”。要抓緊制定并公布國務院部門行政審批中介服務事項清單，精簡中介評估事項。加快摘掉中介機構的“紅頂”，與行政審批部門徹底脫鉤，斬斷利益鏈條。這里要明確，我們國家中介服務業與發達國家相比還有很大差距，發展空間很大，是新的經濟增長點。清理規范中介服務，不是要限制這個行業發展，而是要通過營造公平競爭環境，強化服務職能，使其更好更快發展。

(III) Cut down still more red tape in the review and approval process to help the companies and individuals involved. By the end of September, State Council departments should simplify administrative review and approval procedures, reducing the preliminary procedures and making relevant deadlines public, promote integrated and online review and approval, and effectively address problems such as overly complicated and time-consuming procedures and arbitrary conduct in work. We should speed up the establishment of a nationwide information-sharing online platform for the review and oversight of investment projects. It will start operation of connecting all central government departments by the end of June, and of connecting the central and local governments by the end of the year.
（三）再砍掉一批審批過程中的繁文縟節，切實方便企業和群眾辦事。9月底前，國務院部門要簡化行政審批流程，壓縮前置審批環節并公開時限，推行并聯審批和網上審批，著力解決環節多、時間長、隨意性大等問題。加快建設信息共享、覆蓋全國的投資項目在線審批監管平臺。6月底前實現部門間“橫向聯通”，年底前實現中央和地方“縱向貫通”。

(IV) Cut down still more registration procedures and other formalities required of enterprises to clear way for entrepreneurship and innovation. To further facilitate business registration, we will, by the end of the year, complete the three-in-one reform by integrating the business license, certificate of organization codes and certificate of taxation registration, and introduce a new social credit code to the enterprises. This is an important test to our ability to break the chain of departmental interests and form a unified nationwide information platform. I have found out from inspection tours that the new social credit code has been in use in some places, but yet to be recognized by other places. Though still difficult to proceed, we should redouble efforts to popularize the new social credit code across the country, so as to put in place a unified, open and transparent national marketplace for all to join in fair competition. We should continue to innovate the registration modality, allowing two or more companies to register at the same address and one company to set up branches while getting registered just once. Such practice as applying for permit after receiving the license, which is unnecessary and required by no law, will be removed. We should deepen business system reform to ensure sustained growth of new companies along with their business dynamism, thus laying a good foundation for a steadily growing economy and employment.
（四）再砍掉一批企業登記注冊和辦事的關卡，切實清除創業創新路障。繼續推進工商注冊便利化，年內實現“三證合一”、“一照一碼”。這是對能否破除部門利益的一個重要檢驗。我到地方去調研，有的已實現了“三號”變“一碼”，但是只能在當地實施，其他地方還不認，遇到不少困難。要盡快在全國實現“一照一碼”，推動全國市場實現統一公開透明和公平競爭。繼續創新優化登記方式，實行“一址多照”和“一照多址”。取消沒有法律法規依據、不必要的后置辦證事項。要通過深化商事制度改革，努力使新增企業數持續保持較快增長，新企業活躍度不斷提高，為穩增長、保就業奠定基礎。

(V) Cut down still more unlawful, unregulated and unreasonable fees to truly lessen the burden on companies and individuals. The collection of fees must be regulated. Since last year, we have adopted a number of targeted regulation measures, including tax cuts for small and micro businesses and for agriculture, rural areas and farmers, targeted reduction of the bank required reserve ratio, and asymmetrical reduction of interest rates, thus sending a positive signal to the market. These measures have proven effective. But if the fees remain uncut, then the benefit of measures, no matter how numerous we adopt, would be undermined or even canceled out. By the end of May, we should put in place the special plan to clear up and regulate fees. And by the end of the year, we will make sure that all the fees and funds that have been created and approved without proper authorization and legal basis be completely revoked and practices of arbitrarily increasing or expanding fees be stopped. Administrative fees for ordinary public services or general management functions offered by the government, government-run funds no longer suited for economic development, and intermediary fees for administrative review and approval without legal basis will all be eliminated. And fees that exceed the cost of services and funds with a considerable surplus balance should see their contributions lowered.
（五）再砍掉一批不合法不合規不合理的收費，切實減輕企業和群眾負擔。收費必須規范。去年以來我們采取了一系列定向調控措施，包括對小微企業和“三農”等減稅、定向降準、不對稱降息等，向市場發出了積極信號，實踐證明這些措施是有效的。但是如果各種收費減不下來，其它措施就是再多，也會被沖減甚至抵消掉。5月底前，要對收費專項清理規范工作作出部署。年底前，沒有法律法規依據且未按規定批準、越權設立的收費基金項目，一律取消。擅自提高征收標準、擴大征收范圍的，一律停止執行。屬于政府提供普遍公共服務或一般性管理職能的行政事業性收費，不適應經濟發展的政府性基金，沒有法定依據的行政審批中介收費，一律取消。超過服務成本的收費和有較大結余的基金，一律降低征收標準。

While reducing and delegating powers, the government should step up the management and restriction of its powers through a strong system, introducing rule of law, enhancing law-based administration, and making itself a law-based government. Honoring the principle that functions and powers are set by law, we should set up the "three lists" quickly, clearly defining the boundary of power and responsibility between the government on the one hand and the market, enterprise and society on the other. With the list of power, the government will know clearly what it can do, and what it cannot do when it comes to things outside the mandate of law. With the list of responsibility, the government will know clearly how it should manage the market, and what it must do as required by law. And with the negative list, companies will know clearly the restrictions they are subjected to, and what they can do outside the confines of law. With the three lists in place, it is easier for us to control the "visible hand" in accordance with law, leverage the "invisible hand", and block the "rent-seeking hand". Within this year, we should basically complete the publication of the power list for the government departments at the provincial level, and conduct studies and pilot programs on the power list and responsibility list for the State Council departments.
政府在減權放權的同時，要以剛性的制度來管權限權，厲行法治，依法行政，建設法治政府。要堅持職權法定原則，加快建立“三個清單”，劃定政府與市場、企業、社會的權責邊界。以權力清單明確政府能做什么，“法無授權不可為”；以責任清單明確政府該怎么管市場，“法定職責必須為”；以負面清單明確對企業的約束有哪些，“法無禁止即可為”。通過建立“三個清單”，依法管好“看得見的手”，用好“看不見的手”，擋住“尋租的黑手”。今年，要基本完成省級政府部門權力清單的公布，研究推行國務院部門權力清單和責任清單制度并開展試點。