Income distribution reform top concern: survey among Chinese officials

As reported by Beijing Daily, the results of a survey among Chinese officials were released. The survey was conducted by a research group of the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee among 107 officials at prefectural level or above.

72.9 percent of officials most concerned over reform on income distribution

The participants are asked to choose three items they are most concerned about and put them in order according to importance.

The results show, the top single concern is "reform on personnel system", accounting for 28.0 percent total responses, followed by "reform in income distribution" (21.5 percent) and "reform in state-owned enterprises" (13.1 percent).

"Reform in political system", which has been the top item in previous years, drops to the fourth place (12.1 percent). The fifth to the eighth are "reform in medical system" (8.4 percent), "reform in employment system" (7.5 percent), "reform in taxation and finance" (4.7 percent) and "reform in educational system" (3.7 percent). No one selects "reform on housing distribution".

In terms of the aggregate of the top three, 72.9 percent of the officials pay attention to "reform on income distribution", which is the only one that wins over 70 percent of the responses.

Further analysis shows a marked difference between the order of officials' only top concern and their top three concerns. "Reform on personnel system" and "reform in state-owned enterprises", respectively the first and third place in terms of the former statistics, falls to the third and fifth in the top-three rankings. On the contrary, "reform on income distribution" and "reform on political system", respectively the second and fourth top concern, rise to the top and second place.

That is to say, talking about the greatest concern, more cadres will choose "reform on personnel system"; given three choices, more people will choose that on income distribution.

What are the decisive factors for promoting reform in the future?

Ten closed options and one open option ("others") are provided for this question. According to the rankings of the maximum of three choices, from the most to the least important, 58.9 percent of the total put "maintaining social stability" at the first place, a recognition rate unparalleled.

Statistics in previous years showed a rising proportion: 46.7, 50.8, 54.9 and 57.9 percent from 1999 to 2002 respectively.

The next three factors are "promoting scientific and democratic macro-policymaking" (21.5 percent), "easing a few serious conflicts (e.g. joblessness, crime and corruption)" (6.5 percent) and "maintaining the continuity of reform and opening-up" (4.7 percent). The order is exactly the same as in the previously two years.

What are the decisive factors for the success of political reform?

The same types of options as for the previous question are provided. The rankings of the first choice are "properly handle the Party-government relations" (29.0 percent), "further transform the fuctions of governments" (24.3 percent); "expand democracy inside the Party" (20.6 percent), "enhance the role of the National People's Congress (NPC)" (9.3 percent), "tighten up anti-corruption campaign", "streamline Party arms" (4.7 percent); "strictly implement term system of officials" (3.7 percent); "promote supervision by public opinion" (2.8 percent) and "give further play of the role of the democratic parties" (0.9 percent).

Some change appears when the first and second choices are added up. "Further transform the functions of governments" drops from the second to the third place and "expand inner-Party democracy" rises from the third to the second. "Properly handle Party-government relationship" stays atop in both statistics.

Which reforms will "benefit" officials?

What an impact reforms will have on the interests of the officials will sure conversely affect their attitudes and initiative about the former, and to some extent determine their efforts in reform and the outcome. That's why the survey has always paid attention to that issue.

Among the ten reforms in the questionnaire, "salary reform" is the most beneficial as agreed by 79.4-percent participants. Over 60 percent (60.7 percent) think "political reform" must be included. The items that also win more than 50-percent responses are "reform in education and science and technology" (46.7 percent), "reform in old-age pension" (57 percent), "reform in personnel and administrations" (56.1 percent). Following are "reform in housing" (46.7 percent), "reform in enterprises" (33.6 percent), "medical reform" (32.7 percent), "reform in employment" (31.8 percent) and "financial reform" (30.8 percent).

Those considered to damage their individual interests are: "medical reform" (41.4 percent), "housing reform" (22.4 percent) and "reform in old-age pension" (20.6 percent). More officials are not clear whether the reforms are beneficial or damaging, for example more than half of them cannot tell the pros from cons when it comes to "reform in enterprises" (56.1 percent) and "reform in employment" (55.1 percent).

Opinions on prospects of reform, development and stability within a certain period of time

Among the total 107 surveyed, 15.9 percent of them are "fully confident" in the prospects of reform, development and stability. 72.9 percent "relatively confident" , 1.9 percent "not so confident" and 9.3 percent "uncertain about it".

By People's Daily Online