Government depts to list administrative approval items in China

The State Council, or China's Cabinet, has required all central government departments to make public catalogues of their remaining administrative approval items. The move came amid the country's drive to slash red tape. According to a circular issued by the State Council on Thursday, all central government departments should publish their remaining administrative approval items on their official websites in the coming days, opening up to public oversight. Moreover, the circular promulgated that governments should neither exercise extra-catalogue administrative approvals, nor reinstate exempted items under disguise. The State Council will combine the catalogues into a collective publication. Government departments are also required to solicit public opinions on further slashing of administrative approvals, to take stock of all remaining approval items and to give priority to fields in which the removal of administrative approvals may have had an impact.