CHINA / National |
New rules issued to require government transparency(Agencies/Xinhua)Updated: 2007-04-24 15:38 China's State Council announced on Tuesday "landmark" new rules
requiring government departments to be more open in information disclosures
to boost official transparency. Calling it a "landmark" decision, Xinhua said the rules require governments
at various levels to release information which "affects the immediate interests
of individuals and groups" or which "should be known by the masses", within 20
working days. It specified that village authorities would have to publicize information on land use, financial accounting, the operation of rural collective enterprises and the family situations of village residents in order to ensure the fair enforcement of the family planning policy. However, the regulation also set limits to public disclosure, saying that official information released "should not cause social instability and threaten the safety of the state, the public and the economy". Governments should steer clear of releasing "state secrets, confidential commercial information and infringing on an individual's privacy", Xinhua said. Confidential business information and private information of individuals contained in government databases should not be released without the consent of the person concerned. Individuals who believe their interests have been harmed by the release of
confidential information can sue for compensation, the rules say. The new regulation, is seen by the government as a move to improve efficiency and prevent abuses of power. "It will also safeguard the public's right to know, the right to participate and the right to supervise," said Zhang Qiong, deputy director of the Legislative Office of the State Council. "The regulation will help curb corruption at its source, largely reducing its
occurrence," Zhang said at a press conference on Tuesday. It did not stipulate specific penalties but noted that serious offenders could be prosecuted. The rules also give the public the right to seek information that has been not included in official announcements through a written inquiry. |
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