Local Government

Local government plans signal robust investment

2 Mar 2013

The mainland economy may continue to rely on investments this year, going by the development goals laid out by leaders from more than 30 provinces and municipalities.

New Shanghai mayor vows to treat city's problems as 'a citizen'

3 Feb 2013

Shanghai's new mayor, Yang Xiong, said yesterday he understood the "inadequacies" of public services as "a citizen" of the mainland's commercial hub.

Rich coastal townships hope to profit from urbanisation push

6 Jan 2013

Affluent coastal townships are scrambling to get themselves classified as cities amid reports that the central government is thrashing out new policies to foster its urbanisation goals.

Former transport official suspected of placing 14 relatives in office

21 Dec 2012

The former secretary of Quzhou city’s Department of Transportation was reported to have placed fourteen relatives in various Hebei governmental positions while he was in office.

Cadres 'squandering public funds' despite pledge on curbs

21 Dec 2012

Local Communist Party cadres are still misusing public funds to build up their guanxi - networks of influence - even though the party leadership has pledged to reduce pomp, ceremony and red carpet...

Opinion

Wang Xiangwei

Super ministries may not be the right answer for mainland China

Alex Lo

Church developers remain unbowed by government rules

George Chen

A house is not a home until it becomes affordable

Beijing vows to cut taxes, limit local borrowing

The Ministry of Finance pledged to offer greater support to job-creating small companies through tax and fee cuts, to regulate local government borrowings and to maintain a reasonable size of...

Alarm bells sound over local government stimulus plans

If the mainland's economic growth rate slumps this year, it won't be because local government officials failed to come up with ambitious stimulus plans.

New rules for village elections put candidates under greater scrutiny

Beijing has released an edict stepping up control over the credentials of candidates in forthcoming village elections, tightening supervision of the voting process and holding local officials...

An easy way to improve the political system

Contrary to appearances, district councils have an important place in the evolution of political participation in Hong Kong.

Land curbs on projects

The central authorities have banned local governments from approving certain types of projects and imposed conditions on others as part of efforts to curb encroachment on farmland.

Provinces told to keep rein on debt

Rural governments must avoid piling up new debts as they push forward with rural taxation reform, the State Council has warned.

In a meeting chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao last Friday...