Premier Li Keqiang has signed a revised regulation on the disclosure of government information to better respond to public concerns.
The revision, based on the 2008 version, is aimed at increasing the openness of government affairs and resolving prominent problems in government information disclosure.
It also represents the headway and achievements made in this field over the past years and clarified the scope of government information disclosure, calling for constantly expanding information disclosure.
Stressing the need to improve the legal rights and interests of the applicants and related parties when applying for information disclosure in accordance with procedures, the revision also made necessary stipulations on the improper exercise of application rights by a small number of applicants affecting the normal conduct of government information disclosure.
Efforts should be made to improve the effectiveness of government information disclosure by using information technology, to enable government information to play its due role in serving the people, it added.
The regulation will go into effect on May 15.
The Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance to the disclosure of government information, and the new conditions and problems that emerged in the implementation of the 2008 version made it necessary to revise the regulation, an official with the Ministry of Justice told the media.
For instance, while the people's enthusiasm in participating in public policy-making and protecting their own rights has grown, the information disclosed by some administrative organs was not comprehensive, accurate or specific enough, according to the official.
The official said that some would also file repetitive or excessive applications for information disclosure to administrative organs, taking up too many administrative resources.
Moreover, the 2008 version of the regulation was issued when the disclosure of government information in China was still in the early stages, which occasionally led to disputes during its implementation, the official added.
