Streamlined arbitration in delayed wage cases to boost protection of migrant workers' rights

Rules on government procurement remedied

The Ministry of Finance said on July 30 that the country will remedy rules and practices hindering fair competition in government procurement to ensure equal treatment of businesses run by various types of ownership.

The ministry said in a notice that all regions and departments should strictly review the fairness of government procurement and enhance its transparency.

The notice, which will take effect starting Sept 1, said the authorities must review unreasonable and discriminatory barriers that exclude potential suppliers from engaging in government procurement.

Problems such as offering biased treatment to suppliers based on their ownership or equity structures, discriminating against private businesses, and treating products and services from domestic and foreign businesses differently must be rectified, the ministry said.

The authorities must adequately solicit opinions from market entities and industry associations when making regulations on government procurement, it added.

The ministry also required efforts to strengthen administration, optimize procedures for procurement activities and improve the compensation mechanism for suppliers.