Reform Of Public Service Units in China

Abstract

In China, one of the major administrative reforms is the transformation of public service units. Since the 1980s, reform of public service units has been an important activity parallel to the reforms of the rural areas, SOEs and administrative system along with China’s reform and opening-up progress. Public service unit is an organizational feature of the public sector unique to China. Today, public service units have become the main providers of public services as they touch upon such major areas related to people’s livelihood as education, science and technology, culture and health care in the form of schools, research institutes, cultural organizations, medical institutions, etc.

Although the concept of public service unit or public service institutions is unique to China, institutions performing similar functions can also be found worldwide. Such are institutions as independent agencies, executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies, bodies of public law, semi-autonomous bodies.Further enhancing reform of public service units is important because such reform is about improving people’s livelihood and scientific, educational, cultural and health care undertakings that are closely related to people’s welfare. Only by deepening reform can the government meet the society’s increasing need for public services. Moreover, such reform is crucial in transforming government functionality and building a public service-oriented government. In addition, such reform is critical to sustainable economic growth, as public service is an indispensable part of the tertiary industry and a potential area to boost consumption. It is also vital to structural improvement of economic engines, economic transformation and upgrading. In sum, pushing forward reform of public service units is critical to the overall layout of reform and opening-up.