China initiates pilot program to cut public's evidentiary burden

BEIJING -- China has introduced a pilot program to further reduce cumbersome evidentiary burden of the general public and cut government-imposed transaction costs.

The pilot program, initiated by the Ministry of Justice, will be carried out in 13 provincial-level regions and five departments under the State Council, or cabinet, the ministry announced Tuesday.

Under the program, individuals or enterprises applying for certain government approvals or registrations will no longer need to present related certificates or proof required previously.

Instead, the applicants will only promise they meet the government requirements and be willing to bear the legal liability for false information. The administrative organs will directly handle the application and examine their credentials within their database later.

As part of the efforts to streamline administrative procedures, the Chinese government has been cutting the evidentiary burden of the public by reducing unreasonable certificates required in recent years.

As of April 2019, more than 13,000 such requirements have been abolished by governments across China.