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不久前，党中央、国务院颁发了《关于地方政府职能转变和机构改革的意见》，这是贯彻落实党的十八大和十八届二中全会精神作出的又一项重大决策，是指导和规范地方政府改革的重要文件。今天的会议是继今年5月国务院机构职能转变动员电视电话会议后又一次重要会议，主要任务是进一步统一思想，深入动员，对地方政府职能转变和机构改革进行安排部署，把中央的决策落到实处。

Not long ago, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the Opinion on Functional Transformation and Institutional Reform of Local Governments. That was yet another major decision made to implement the conclusions of the 18th CPC National Congress and the second plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. It was an important document that would offer guidance and norms for the reform of local governments. Today's meeting is another important meeting following the audio-video conference in May on transforming functions of State Council institutions. Its main task is to further unify thinking and mobilize efforts, make arrangements for functional transformation and institutional reform of local governments and ensure that the decisions made at the central level are well implemented on the ground.

一、 上下联动，做好政府改革这篇大文章

I. We need to effectively write the major articles of government reform by integrating central and local efforts.

如果说中央政府改革是上篇，地方政府改革就是下篇，需要整体构思、通盘考虑、上下贯通，把政府改革的整篇文章做好。地方政府职能转变和机构改革，是党和国家改革开放事业大局的重要内容，也是深化行政体制改革的重要组成部分。政府改革的主要目的，就是进一步理顺政府和市场、政府和社会、中央和地方的关系，更好地发挥市场、社会的作用，更好地调动中央和地方两个积极性，推动政府全面正确地履行职能，加快现代政府建设，努力促进经济持续健康发展、社会不断进步，不断满足人民群众的新期待、新要求。

The reform of the central government and the local governments can be described as the two parts of an article. We need to take a holistic approach to both parts and ensure that the two go well together to form a good article of government reform. The functional transformation and institutional reform of local governments is an important part of the broader reform and opening-up endeavor of the Party and the country. It is also an important component of our efforts to deepen administrative reform. The main purpose of government reform is to clearly define the relations between government and the market, between government and society and between central and local governments. Reform can also better leverage the roles of market and society, further mobilize the initiative of both central and local governments, make sure that the government fully plays its part, accelerate the development of modern government, promote sustained and sound economic growth and social progress, and meet new expectations and requirements from the public.

（一） 地方政府改革事关经济持续发展和转型升级。我国经济发展到今天，要实现长期增长、持续健康发展，必须转型升级，无论是从当前还是从长远看，都到了转型升级的关键阶段。

1. The reform of local governments is important for sustained growth and for the transformation of the economy. Under current circumstances, if the Chinese economy is to achieve sustained and sound growth over the long run, it has to transform. Looking at the immediate and long-term needs, the Chinese economy has entered a crucial stage of transformation and upgrading.

新一届政府成立以后，面临的国内外经济形势错综复杂，经济下行压力增大；财政收入增速下滑，中央财政一度出现负增长；货币增量也难以再扩大，因为池子里的水已经很多。在这种情况下，我们把政府职能转变和机构改革作为开门的第一件大事，紧紧抓住不放，既作为全面深化改革的“马前卒”，又作为宏观调控的“当头炮”。半年多来，我们保持定力、稳中有为，创新宏观调控方式；同时深处着力、稳中有进，下大力气推进职能转变、简政放权，中央政府分四批取消和下放了300多项行政审批等事项。原来以为，通过取消和下放审批事项激发市场活力要有一个过程，实际上这样一个强烈的信号发出后，对市场的预期、市场的活力、社会资本的调动，虽然不能说立竿见影，但已初见成效。社会投资和创业热情迸发，加快改革与调整结构叠加的效果，超出人们的预期。今年以来，企业登记数增长25%，其中民营和个体企业增长37%，带动了民间投资以23%左右的速度增长，明显超过政府性投资增速，这也是三季度经济稳中向好的一个重要因素。通过转变职能，把该放的权放下去、放到位，激发市场活力、需求潜力和发展的内生动力，可以有力推动结构调整、转型升级，促进以开放带动改革。把中央的相关权力放给地方，促进贸易和投资便利化，可以提高经济运行效率。通过简政放权可以做到政府不花钱能办事或少花钱多办事，这个道理我们要深刻领会。

When the new government took office, it was confronted with a complex economic situation both at home and abroad, with downward pressures on the rise of the Chinese economy. Growth of fiscal revenues slowed down to such a degree that the central fiscal revenue even experienced negative growth at one point. And it was difficult to further increase money supply as there had already been much water in the pool, so to speak. Under such conditions, we decided to focus on transforming government functions and reforming government institutions as the number one task for the new government. We intended to use it to kick off profound and sweeping reform and exercise effective macro control, playing the role of "soldier" and "cannon" when a Chinese chess game begins. Over the past six months and more, we have stayed focused and worked to innovate ways of macro control while maintaining stability. At the same time, we have addressed the issue at its root and made intensive efforts to seek steady progress in transforming government functions, streamlining administration and delegating power. As a matter of fact, the central government has abolished or delegated to lower levels the power of approval over more than 300 items in four batches. We thought that it would take some time for this move to unleash the vitality of the market, but as it has turned out, the strong signal sent by this move has already produced initial, if not immediate, effect in boosting market expectations, galvanizing the market and mobilizing capital from all sources. There has been a burst of enthusiasm for investment and entrepreneurship. The combined effects of accelerated reform and structural readjustments have exceeded people's expectations. Since the beginning of this year, the number of registered enterprises has risen by 25 percent. Among them, the number of registered private and individually owned enterprises has been up by 37 percent, resulting in a growth of around 23 percent in private investment, obviously faster than the growth of government investment. This was also an important factor behind the steady and improved performance of the Chinese economy in the third quarter. Transforming government functions and fully delegating all the power that should be delegated have unlocked market vitality, potential demand and inherent driving force for development. As such, they can give a strong boost to structural readjustment, transformation and upgrading, and advance reform through further opening-up. The primary objective of the establishment of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone is to promote trade and investment facilitation and enhance efficiency in economic operation through streamlining administration and power delegation. By streamlining administration and delegating power, the government can get things done without extra costs or do more with less. This is what we should fully appreciate.

改革开放35年来，各级地方党委政府牢牢扭住经济建设这个中心不放，为推动我国经济社会发展作出了巨大贡献。今年以来，各地花了很大气力，取得了经济社会发展的新成效。从当前看，稳增长的压力仍然很大，财政收入的增速不高，而改善民生的刚性支出不能减，甚至在有些方面还需增加。经济发展靠财政支出和政府投资，靠中央再多打赤字、多增发票子，已经受到很大限制，这方面的政策空间很有限了。从长远看，各地要实现经济持续健康发展，再继续走老路，靠政府扩大债务、单纯经营土地，靠高投入、高消耗、高排放，也会形成过剩产能，肯定走不长，也走不通。即便短期有效，长期代价也很大。所以，对各级政府来说，无论是当前稳增长，还是长远谋发展，都要靠改革创新。这就必须加快转变政府职能，下决心破除审批多、办证多、收费多、罚款多的体制机制障碍，把推动发展的着力点放到发挥企业、市场、社会力量的作用上来。

Over the past 35 years of reform and opening-up, local Party committees and governments at various levels have concentrated on the central task of economic development and made huge contributions to the economic and social development of our country. And this year, various localities have worked really hard and made new headway in economic and social development. Judging from the current situation, we are still under tremendous pressure in stabilizing growth. Fiscal revenues are only slowly growing, while the necessary spending to improve people's well-being cannot be cut and may even have to be increased in some areas. Economic growth achieved through fiscal expenditure and government investment and through more central government deficit and money supply has already come under major constraints. There is only very limited room for policy maneuver in this regard. In the long run, sustained and sound economic development will not be achieved if we continue to follow the old path. Increasing government debts, engaging in mere land transactions, and relying on excessive investment, energy consumption and emissions would also end in overcapacity. So such an approach would not go very far or lead us anywhere. Even if it does produce some short-term effects, they will come at the expense of huge long-term interests. That is why, be it for stabilizing current growth or seeking long-term development, government at all levels needs to rely on reform and innovation to release reform dividends and upgrade the economy. To achieve this, we have to accelerate transformation of government functions and make determined efforts to do away with institutional obstacles arising from excessive approvals, licences, fees and fines. We have to focus our development efforts on giving play to the roles of businesses, the market and non-government actors.

（二）地方政府改革是整个政府改革的大头。地方政府直接与企业接触，直接联系人民群众，市场主体和人民群众的权益也主要通过地方政府去实现、维护和发展。在整个政府体系中，地方政府作用十分重要，我国90%以上的公务员、85%左右的财政最终支出是在地方。尤其是基层政府，属于我们通常讲的“最后一公里”。政府机构改革能不能达到预期目的，职能转变能不能落实，很大程度上取决于地方政府。近来我们到地方调研或开座谈会，许多企业家认为，中央政府下放了许多权力，下一步还要看地方，如果地方政府改革不及时跟进，简政放权的效果就会大打折扣。我对他们说，中央政府下了决心，真正做到位，树立起标杆，地方政府就一定会按中央的要求去做。在当前情况下，要稳增长，简政放权是一个极为重要的手段。稳增长也是为了保就业。简政放权、取消和下放行政审批事项，激发市场活力，让企业、社会更有创造力，就可以带动更多的就业。如果上动下不动、头转身不转，政府职能转变和机构改革就可能变成“假改”、“虚晃一枪”。今年5月份以来，各地新一轮简政放权取得积极成效，但受地方和部门利益影响，也出现了一些“错放、空放、乱放”等现象。有的只下放复杂的、管理责任大的，“含金量”较高的仍然留在手中；有的放权有水分，动辄上百项，但“干货”不多。这里要强调的是，在改革过程中，各地要有全局观、大局观，不能打“小算盘”、“小九九”，更不允许“走过场”、“变戏法”，确保简政放权真正到位、见效。

2. The reform of local governments is part and parcel of overall government reform. Local governments directly interact with businesses and the public, and the rights and interests of market players and the public are realized, safeguarded and developed mainly through the local governments. The local governments have a very important role to play in the whole system of government, accounting for over 90 percent of civil servants and around 85 percent of eventual fiscal expenditures in China. It is particularly true for primary-level governments, which belong to the "last one kilometer", as we often say. Whether the reform of government institutions meets its goal as expected and whether government functions are genuinely transformed depends, to a large extent, on local governments. During our recent field trips and seminars in different localities, we have found that many entrepreneurs are looking at the local governments to deliver what the central government has already committed in power delegation. According to them, the effects of streamlining administration and delegating power at the central level will be greatly compromised if the local governments fail to proceed with corresponding reform in a timely fashion. I assured them that the central government has made up its mind, and that so long as the central government can set a good example of effectively doing what is required, the local governments will surely act to meet the requirements of the central government. Under the current circumstances, streamlining administration and delegating power is a very important means to stabilize growth. And to stabilize growth is also for the sake of ensuring employment. With administration streamlined and power delegated, some powers of administrative approval will be cancelled or delegated, which will energize the market and make the businesses and society more creative, thus generating more jobs. If only the head turns and the body stays put, the transformation of government functions and the institutional reform may become a "fake reform" or a "feinted attempt". Since last May, positive results have been achieved in the new round of efforts to streamline administration and delegate power in various localities. Yet, due to restraints of local and sectoral interests, there have been cases where powers have been wrongly or inappropriately delegated, or where only lip service has been made with no real action. In some places, only the complex powers that involve big responsibilities have been delegated, with the "more valuable power" still retained by the government. In others, there have been exaggerations. They easily claim to have delegated approval power for more than 100 items, yet few of them involve any significant power. I want to stress that in the course of reform, the local governments must take a holistic perspective and bear in mind the overall interests. They should not be narrowly preoccupied with their own local interests, still less are they allowed to play tricks or conduct reform as a mere formality. We must ensure that streamlining administration and delegating power must be effectively delivered and serve its purpose.

（三）地方政府改革对于保证中央政令畅通、发挥地方积极性十分重要。这次改革，要进一步处理好中央和地方的关系。一方面要确保中央的政令畅通。把不该管的放下去，这样就有更多精力把该管的更好地管起来，这有利于中央的政令畅通。另一方面要把地方政府的积极性充分调动起来。我国是单一制国家，实行中央统一领导、地方分级管理的体制。对中央的大政方针，地方必须统一步调，不折不扣地贯彻执行。同时还要看到，我国是一个大国，各地情况千差万别，发展很不平衡，必须从实际出发，发挥地方因地制宜管理经济社会的作用。我国经济社会发展到现在这个阶段，人民群众的需求越来越多，层次也不一样，政府服务事项也越来越多，也很复杂，各地要从实际出发，更加积极主动，创造性地开展工作。“上下同欲者胜”。大家心往一处想，劲往一处使，我们的事情就能办得更好。

3. The reform of local governments is important to ensure the effective implementation of central government decisions and mobilize the initiative of various localities. In this round of reform, we must further straighten out the relationship between the central and local governments. We need to ensure the effective implementation of central government decisions. The central government should delegate responsibilities that it is not supposed to undertake in order to focus on matters that fall within its mandate. This will make sure that the decisions of the central government are carried out effectively. At the same time, we should fully mobilize the initiative of local governments. China is a unitary state, which practices the system of unified central leadership, with specific responsibilities distributed across different levels of local government. Major policies adopted by the central government must be strictly implemented by all local governments. However, it is also important to recognize that China is a big country, with varying conditions and uneven development across different localities. We need to bear in mind this reality and leverage the role of local governments in managing economic and social development in a way consistent with their own local conditions. At this stage of economic and social development, we are seeing more demands and more differentiated needs from the people. As a result, the services to be provided by the government are also growing in scope and complexity. In line with their respective conditions on the ground, localities should be more proactive and creative in their work. As the saying goes, "Victory can only be achieved when the army share the same goal throughout the ranks". If we can think and work with one heart and one mind, we will be able to do an even better job.