System for people to oversee city hall
By Xiao Liang (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-02-23 09:30

Silence is golden? Might not be so this time.

Legal experts in Shanghai are calling for the enactment of a new regulation that aims to set up a hearing mechanism to better oversee the city government's enforcement of local regulations and rules.

Such a regulation is expected to largely encourage the public's awareness and involvement in keeping a close watch over the government's performance through regular hearings, still a new thing in China.

"There should be something operational and specific that enables the public to better oversee the government's work," said Li Ming, a lawyer with the Shanghai Siway & Seaway Law Firm.

A deputy to the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, the city's lawmaking body, Li is an initiator and also strong advocate for the establishment of such a regulation.

Besides the function of public supervision, the regulation should also help the government, on a wider and more frequent basis, hear people's voices, especially on some hot issues or those closely related with the latter's interests, Li said.

In Li's view, the envisioned regulation should lay out a string of basic issues related to the hearing system, including its principles, objectives, and supervisory body.

More important, how to specify such hearings' subjects, procedures and participants should also be included in the regulation, Li said.

With such guidelines clarified, hearings can be held in a more effective and efficient way, and such a just and open system can hopefully create a bridge between the public and government, he added.

Unlike hearings held prior to the enactment of certain regulations and rules, the new regulation focuses on the implementation process. It encourages the municipal People's Congress deputies, on their own initiative, to reach voters and collect their opinions to better carry out supervisory work over the government's performance.

Currently, the public relies mainly on the People's Congress deputies to supervise government's work since the deputies are expected to listen to work reports and give their appraisals during their annual gatherings. Meanwhile they are supposed to conduct examinations over the government's enforcement of regulations and rules.

However, such an approach has been criticized as lacking the participation of people at large.

In some analysts' eyes, the anticipated regulation echoes another new local rule that will take effect in May 1 to ensure the public a widened access to varied information previously controlled by the government.

In Guangzhou of South China's Guangdong Province, a hearing was held last December, when a number of government bodies' officials were put under public scrutiny regarding local urban sanitation issues. Such an event was believed to be the first of its kind throughout China.

In Shanghai, a similar hearing was held later that month regarding issues on the local job market.

"Many locals show their enthusiasm and capability to get involved in such matters, though I used to underestimate their performance in that regard," said Li.

However, some also expressed their concerns.

"I'd probably take part in such events, yet I doubt that there would be substantial and timely feedback or solutions from the government," said Chris Huang, a local white-collar professional.

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