China pushing forward with credit rating system for 16 occupations

China will accelerate the establishment of a credit rating system for up to 16 occupations this year, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Public servants, real estate agents, tour guides, lawyers, teachers and pharmacists will be among those covered by the mechanism, which will serve as a sort of credit rating for trustworthiness, according to Lian Weiliang, vice-minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner.

He said people in such roles have the potential to negatively affect society if they are dishonest or behave in an improper manner.

A blacklist will also be established to punish dishonest companies and individuals.

Officials said that anyone blacklisted would be restricted from buying plane tickets and certain types of train ticket, as well as being prevented from taking high-ranking positions in companies. Similar systems already exist for poorly-behaved tourists and travelers, among others, with more than 6 million cases handled so far.

China is also working on establishing a social credit system for individuals that will score people based on their credit worthiness, criminal record and other variables.

At its core, this system is about protecting individual rights, with a focus on real-name registry, information security, credit restoration and information services, Lian said.