Ever since China opened up to the world in 1980's, the Shanghai Municipal Government, led by the Communist Party of China and the State Council, makes great effort to build the city into an international economic, financial, trade and shipping center. With the cooperation and hardwork of Shanghai people, the city is progressing to its goal as a global metropolitan. The new team of leaders of the Shanghai government took office in February 2003. "The power of the government is entrusted by the people; the interest of people is above all," as Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng promise in his inaugural. Guided by the Shanghai Party Committee, the city's new leadership vows to strictly perform its official duties; to make significant progress in self-improvement, and to intensify the shift of its role from administrative to public service. The Shanghai government will build itself into a service government that would share with the people all their happiness and troubles; a solid responsible government that is efficient, honest and diligent; a law-abiding government that respects legal system and rules strictly and impartially.

That enforcement of 36 administrative licenses will be stopped since July 1st, 2004 will not cause administration vacuum

11/19/2004

The enforcement of 36 administrative licenses will be stopped since July 1st, 2004. Will there be any administration vacuum ever since? A negative answer is given to our correspondent by Spokesperson Sun Yunshi and Director of the Legislative Working Committee of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress Shen Guoming in the news release conference held by the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress on June 23rd, 2004.
According to Spokesperson, these 36 administrative licenses are raised by the administrative bodies themselves upon checking the applicable provisions, reviewed by the Legislative Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipality and the Legislative Working Committee of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress, and presented to the regular session of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress for further review. Legality and rationality will be given to each cancellation-proposed administrative license. The administrative license that requires administration by the government will be followed by substituted measure upon cancellation. No possibility of vacuum will be given to administration. Administrative management is not equal to administrative license and has many measures. Upon deduction of administrative licenses, the government will shift its focus from ex ante facto review and approval to ex post facto supervision and administration, which means more administration burdens upon it.
Sun also noted that among those administrative licenses the enforcement of which is continued, a pretty portion of provisions involving configuration of licensing subject, conditions and procedures for licensing, valid term of license, etc. are not perfect, and local regulations are in need of amendment. For this end, amendment or abolishment of the relevant regulations shall be bettered subject to the practical situations. The municipal government shall, in consideration of the annual legislative schedule and five-year legislative planning by the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress, raise amendment or abolishment motions to regulations in question to the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress for its review and approval. The workload of amendment of regulations is very heavy, and sometimes upholding, amendment or abolishment of certain regulations shall be subject to amendment of the relevant upper laws. As a result, no detailed period for amendment of the relevant regulations can be nailed down expressly.
Will there occur the license in a disguised form after adoption of other substitutive management measure? No is the express reply of this Spokesperson. The reason lies in the fact that there are essential differences between administration measures adopted at present and administrative licenses. He also added that assessment mechanism is required for the public administration of the government. The Municipal People's Congress will adopt all kinds of measures to continue reinforcement of supervision over the government's compliance and go-through with the Law on Administrative Licenses after July 1st, 2004.
The Shanghai government 2006