China’s premier blasts delays created by big projects 'risk assessments'
As the nation’s economy cools, Li Keqiang launches another broadside against the country's slow bureaucracy
China’s Premier Li Keqiang has fired another shot against bureaucratic delays, strongly criticising the excessive time taken and expense incurred carrying out risk assessments for big development projects.
“People at some places have made these assessments into a joke,” Li was quoted as saying in a statement posted on a government website.
The premier’s comments come after he blasted officials last week for dragging their feet and delaying carrying out economic reforms amid a slowdown in China’s economy.
The nation’s GDP grew by 7 per cent in the first three months of 2015, the slowest rate in six years.
Li recounted in the latest statement his experience talking to a manager during an inspection for a waterworks project.
“We need to go through environmental assessment, water resources assessment and assessments on energy, work safety, traffic, geology, earthquakes, heritage, thunder, weather,” Li quoted the manager as saying. “He told me that it would take at least one or two years.”
Li said some assessments, including those covering the environment and safety, were necessary, but some local government departments did not have enough professional staff to carry them out swiftly and efficiently.