Observation of the NPC and CPPCC: China’s institutional reform in key areas is brewing “efficiency offensive”

The institutional reform plan of the State Council of China was submitted to the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress for deliberation on the 7th. The plan aims to solve the difficult problems of great importance and social concern through a reform “offensive” to improve the efficiency and efficiency of governance.

——Science and technology: optimize innovation engine

Innovation is at the core of China’s modernization drive. This institutional reform is committed to making this “number one driving force” more powerful.

It is proposed to reorganize the Science and Technology Department, and its specific management responsibilities will be transferred. At the same time of adjustment, a series of macro-management responsibilities such as strategic planning and institutional reform of the Ministry of Science and Technology have been strengthened, and will promote the improvement of the new nationwide system, optimize the management of the whole chain of scientific and technological innovation, promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and promote the integration of science and technology and economic and social development.

At present, China is facing the severe situation of international scientific and technological competition and external containment and suppression. Better coordination of scientific and technological forces to overcome difficulties in key core technologies and accelerate the realization of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance will help optimize the key engine of innovation.

——Financial supervision: stick to the bottom line of risk

With the trend of financial mixed operation, the emerging of new forms of business, and the obvious increase of the cross-industry and cross-market contagion of financial risks, the reform of the financial supervision system that has attracted much attention is further.

The plan is to establish the State Financial Supervision and Administration, which is responsible for the supervision of the financial industry except the securities industry, further solve the problems of unclear regulatory responsibilities, cross supervision and regulatory gaps, and bring all kinds of financial activities into the supervision according to law.

In addition, measures such as the adjustment of the CSRC to an institution directly under the State Council and deepening the reform of the local financial supervision system are also imminent. Both the establishment of “new institutions” and the adjustment of “old institutions” reveal the same signal: firmly hold the bottom line of avoiding systemic financial risks.

——Data management: promote efficient circulation

The role of the digital economy has been well explained in the response to the epidemic. The efficient allocation of data elements is the key to its development. In response to this change, the plan plans to establish a national data bureau to strengthen the management, development and utilization of data.

There are traces to follow. In recent years, China’s decision makers have increasingly attached importance to data and have identified it as one of the five major factors of production. At the end of last year, the landmark document “Twenty Data” was issued with the main line of “promoting the efficient circulation and use of data compliance and empowering the real economy”.

After this reform, the National Data Bureau plans to “take over” part of the responsibilities of the Central Cyberspace Office and the National Development and Reform Commission, and promote the planning and construction of digital China, digital economy and digital society. These relationships and functions will be further rationalized, which will help to break the “data island” and fully realize the safe and smooth flow of data elements.

——Rural revitalization: consolidating achievements

After solving the problem of absolute poverty in a historic way, China’s task of continuously consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation is still not light.

The plan plans to assign the responsibilities of the National Rural Revitalization Bureau to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, but the relevant work will not be weakened. After optimizing its responsibilities, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs should continue to increase its assistance to poverty-stricken areas and people. During the transition period after the completion of the national poverty alleviation target, the relevant assistance policies, financial support and project arrangements will remain generally stable.

This adjustment means that China will pay more attention to the work of “agriculture, rural areas and farmers” with rural revitalization as the focus, and promote the overall upgrading of agriculture, comprehensive progress in rural areas and comprehensive development of farmers in the process of accelerating the construction of an agricultural power.

——Intellectual property: “upgrading” to respond to concerns

Strengthening the protection of intellectual property rights is an inherent need to promote the construction of an innovative country, promote high-quality development and expand high-level opening up. All kinds of enterprises have long been concerned about it.

In response to this, the reform plan plans to upgrade the China National Intellectual Property Administration, which is managed by the State Market Supervision and Administration Administration, to an institution directly under the State Council.

This is considered to be another “puzzle” to improve the intellectual property management system. In the process of accelerating the construction of an intellectual property power, China is expected to continue to make efforts to comprehensively improve the level of intellectual property creation, application, protection, management and service.

——Work for the elderly: more answers to the problem of “providing for the elderly”

When aging has become China’s basic national condition, providing for the elderly has also become a difficult problem for people’s livelihood.

With a view to implementing the national strategy of actively responding to the aging of the population, better developing the old-age service and the old-age industry, and promoting the realization of basic old-age services for all the elderly, the plan makes a series of arrangements. It includes the plan to assign the responsibilities of the National Health and Health Commission to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, such as organizing, formulating and coordinating the implementation of policies and measures to address the aging of the population, and undertaking the specific work of the National Committee on Aging.

It is expected that the continuous improvement of the aging work system can effectively solve the contradiction between supply and demand of China’s elderly care, solve more answers to the question of “providing for the elderly”, and make the “happy sunset” within reach.

中国两会观察：发力重点领域 中国机构改革酝酿“提效攻势”

中国国务院机构改革方案7日提请十四届全国人大一次会议审议。发力多个重点领域，此次方案力图通过一场提升治理效率效能的改革“攻势”，解决那些事关重大、社会关注的难点问题。

——科学技术：优化创新引擎

创新在中国现代化建设全局中居于核心地位，此次机构改革致力于让这股“头号动力”更加有劲。

方案拟重新组建科学技术部，其具体管理职责被划转。在调整的同时，科技部战略规划、体制改革等一系列宏观管理职责得到强化，并将推动健全新型举国体制、优化科技创新全链条管理、促进科技成果转化、促进科技和经济社会发展相结合。

当下中国正面对国际科技竞争和外部遏制打压的严峻形势，更好统筹科技力量在关键核心技术上攻坚克难，加快实现高水平科技自立自强，将有助于优化创新这台关键引擎。

——金融监管：坚守风险底线

在金融混业经营已成趋势，新业态层出不穷，金融风险跨行业、跨市场传染性明显增大的情况下，备受关注的金融监管体制改革再进一步。

此次方案拟组建国家金融监督管理总局，统一负责除证券业之外的金融业监管，进一步解决监管职责不清晰、交叉监管和监管空白问题，依法将各类金融活动全部纳入监管。

此外，证监会调整为国务院直属机构、深化地方金融监管体制改革等措施也箭在弦上。无论“新机构”的设立、还是“老机构”的调整，都透露出同一个信号：坚决守住不发生系统性金融风险的底线。

——数据管理：力促高效流通

数字经济的作用在此次疫情应对中得到很好阐释。而数据要素的高效配置，是推动其发展的关键一环。因应这一变革，方案拟组建国家数据局，有针对性地加强对数据的管理、开发、利用。

此举其实有迹可循。近年来中国决策层对数据的重视程度不断提升，已将其明确为五大生产要素之一。去年底出台的重磅文件“数据二十条”，更以“促进数据合规高效流通使用、赋能实体经济”作为主线。

经过此次改革，国家数据局拟“接手”中央网信办、国家发改委的部分职责，统筹推进数字中国、数字经济、数字社会规划和建设等。这些关系和职能被进一步理顺，将有助于打破“数据孤岛”，充分实现数据要素流动的安全畅通。

——乡村振兴：巩固攻坚成果

历史性地解决了绝对贫困问题后，中国持续巩固脱贫攻坚成果的任务依然不轻。

方案拟将国家乡村振兴局职责划入农业农村部，但相关工作力度并不会减弱。优化职责后的农业农村部，要继续加大对脱贫地区和脱贫群众的帮扶力度，全国脱贫攻坚目标任务完成后的过渡期内，有关帮扶政策、财政支持、项目安排保持总体稳定。

此番调整意味着中国将更统筹地抓好以乡村振兴为重心的“三农”各项工作，在加快建设农业强国的过程中，整体推动农业全面升级、农村全面进步、农民全面发展。

——知识产权：“升格”回应关切

加强知识产权保护，是推进创新型国家建设、推动高质量发展、扩大高水平对外开放的内在需要，各类企业关切已久。

改革方案对此作出回应，拟将国家知识产权局由国家市场监督管理总局管理的国家局“升格”为国务院直属机构。

这被认为拼上了完善知识产权管理体制的又一块“拼图”。在加快推进知识产权强国建设过程中，中国料将持续发力，全面提升知识产权创造、运用、保护、管理和服务水平。

——老龄工作：求解“老有所养”更多答案

当老龄化成为中国的基本国情，老有所养也成了一道民生待解难题。

着眼于实施积极应对人口老龄化国家战略，更好发展养老事业和养老产业，推动实现全体老年人享有基本养老服务，方案作出一系列安排。包括拟将国家卫健委的组织拟订并协调落实应对人口老龄化政策措施、承担全国老龄工作委员会的具体工作等职责划入民政部等。

人们期待，老龄工作体制的不断完善，能高效破解中国养老供需矛盾，求解“老有所养”更多答案，让“幸福夕阳红”触手可及。