Public Policy Making in China: Development Public Policy Making in China: Development

and Challengesand 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 ）

OutlineOutline

A brief review of China’s 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 China’s public policy process

II 、、 A brief review A brief review of China’s policy of China’s policy making process prior to 1979making 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 what’s going on inside the government;It is the game of the small group of the political elites, general public’s concern has to be channeled through this elite group;…………………. Nathan, Andrew. A Factionalism Model for CCP Politics;Lieberthal,

Kenneth and Oksenberg, Michel. Policy Making in China Leaders, Structures, and Processes; Shirk, Susan L. The Political Logic of Economic Reform in China…..

IIII 、、 Changes in public policy process Changes in public policy process since 1979 (A)since 1979 (A)

Since late 1970s, China is experiencing a sustained economic growth and historical transformation: Economic system:

Planned economy->Market economy Agriculture economy->Industrial and knowledge economy

Social system Rural and closed society ->Urban and open society

Governance structure Personal will and charisma->Rule of law and democratic principle

Changes in public policy process Changes in public policy process since 1979 (B)since 1979 (B)

A stratified society with competing values and diverse interests=>the 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 (People’s 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;……..

IIIIII 、、 Responses from the governmentResponses from the government and the societyand 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 participationPublic hearing systemS&T Planning websites for public opinions……

Expert consultation meeting on coordinated development on June 17, 2003

IVIV 、、 The role of expertise: Think The role of expertise: Think tanks in Chinatanks in ChinaA typology of think tanks in China (graph 1)The development of think tanks (graph 2)The role of think thanks

Bringing issues to policy agendaPolicy formulation and consultationPolicy implementation

Facilitate implementations Implementation evaluation

China’s Policy research institutions

Official Institute

Non-official Institute

Public Institute (Shiye Danwei)

Research Institute inside Bureaucracy

Th

ink T

an

ks

Independent Public

Research Institute

Research Institute

under University

Enterprise R

esearch Institute

Private and Non-enter-

prise Research Institute

Enterprise Institute private and Non-enterprise Institute

The development of think tanks in China The development of think tanks in China (2004 survey)(2004 survey)

成立时间

2004

2002

2000

1998

1996

1994

1992

1990

1988

1986

1984

1982

1980

1978

1976

1974

1972

1970

1968

1966

1964

1962

1960

1958

1956

1954

1952

1950

Frequency

40

30

20

10

0

VV 、、 China’s public policy: Challenges China’s public policy: Challenges and future developmentsand future developments

All recent changes in development perspectives point to the urgent need for better public policy:Three represents=>how best to represent the

fundamental interests of the broad spectrum of the public?

Five coordinated developments=>how to weigh trade-offs for different policy options?

Harmonious society=>how to improve the policy process as well as the distributional outcome of a policy?

How to increase policy literacy and How to increase policy literacy and capacity of government?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;

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

How to harness expert opinions in the How to harness expert opinions in the policy process?policy process?

Expert advice: neutral technical adviceVested interests;Own value judgment.

The case of technology choice (see graph)Solution?Ethical standard?Competition: idea market?

Technology choice Technology choice or bureaucratic or bureaucratic competition competition

European Standard?

China China standard?standard?

Magnetic Magnetic Levitation?Levitation?

Shigansen?Shigansen?