Change in government's role

A warrior chopping off a wrist to save his life when bitten by a snake is the metaphor Premier Li Keqiang used to describe his cabinet's resoluteness in changing its role as a decision-maker on some matters, those involving business in particular, to that of a supervisor and macro administrator.

Since the State Council made the decision to either abolish or delegate more than 70 approval items to lower government departments or institutions late last month, he obviously means it, as was made clear by his reiteration of the government's resolve to make the change during a television and telephone conference on Monday.

It is obvious that Li is clear how important it is for the government to play the right role in its relations with the economy and society at large.