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China forges ahead to improve administrative services for public

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      China

      China

      China forges ahead to improve administrative services for public

      2024-07-18 21:47 Last Updated At:07-19 01:37

      China has marched forward on its way to optimize administrative services for the public in all these years by streamlining approval process and integrating different civil service departments to provide one-stop services with support of digital technologies.

      In Lankao County of central China's Henan Province, Fu Xianxiang is preparing to open a tea house this summer. After decoration, Fu is only one step away to the operation of his business. He needs to apply for a business license.

      "I've applied for a business license before. It was tiresome. I needed to prepare paper documents and fill in all kinds of forms. Then there was a long approval process," said Fu.

      "We must make some changes. Before, people had to visit several civil agencies to get their approval. There was a newspaper report about one applicant visiting 38 offices to get their approval. The process usually took months," said Meng Fanzheng, then director of the civil service hotline office in Lankao.

      In March 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), inspected Lankao's civil service center, where he urged local authorities to improve administrative services.

      "Our duty is to provide convenient services for the people. Whether it is convenient or not, we need to see whether our service is effective. What is the most fundamental is whether we're ready to serve our people. If we regard the people as our own parents, our own brothers and sisters, we will show a good attitude," said Xi.

      In fact, in 1990, Xi, the then municipal Party secretary of Fuzhou, took the lead to reform administrative services, requiring timely response to people's needs.

      "It is not that we don't have solutions to many problems. It is that no one takes action to solve it. Therefore, I say actions come first," said Xi.

      After several rounds of inspections, at the first meeting of the CPC Central Committee for deepening overall reform held on March 28, 2018, Xi emphasized the importance of optimizing one-stop services and further promoting centralized administrative review and approval work. Four years later, Xi once again focused on administrative services reform, stressing improved services and coordinated work among departments of different levels, in different areas, and from different systems.

      "The general secretary proposed building digital China, using the Internet, digital and information technologies to promote construction of digital government. For example, if one wants to make an application, one needed to submit documents repeatedly before. But now, we have digital technologies. People need to submit relevant information only once, which will be stored in our database. When they visit the civil service center, we can use those information. If we can use digital means to solve problems, there is no need for people to visit us," said Chen Jingjing, director of the Civil service and Big Data Administration of Lankao County.

      For senior residents who have difficulties in using online platform or traveling around, there are special civil servants to provide door-to-door services.

      "For senior residents, they don't need to go to the village office. They only need to make a phone call, and we will visit them," said Li Tingting, a civil servant at Baiyunshan Village.

      Starting from 2021, the Lankao County Administrative Service Center has gradually integrated 30 departments, achieving the goal of handling multiple tasks with just one click.

      "After organizing our services, we offer an coordinated service plan using information technology and digital means. For example, if you want to register a marriage, it involves updating the household registration, obtaining a hospital birth certificate, and more. We package these matters together, so when you go to register a marriage, you can handle four or five tasks at once," said Chen.

      Today, the processing time for marriage and childbearing matter in Lankao has been reduced from 22 working days before the reform to just one working day. The number of visits required has also decreased from six before the reform to only one. Similarly, for the matter related to newborns, the processing time has been reduced from 62 working days to one working day, and the number of required documents has decreased from 17 to six.

      "Before, the whole process cost three to four days. Now I can get my business license in 30 minutes, if everything goes smoothly," said Fu.

      "We no longer need to visit other offices. All the matters can be done here. It's much easier," said an applicant.

      After getting his business license, Fu rushed back to his tea house. He is sure the tea house will start to receive customers before the end of this summer.

      China forges ahead to improve administrative services for public

      China forges ahead to improve administrative services for public

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      Promotional video for CMG Spring Festival Gala screened in various countries

      2025-01-22 16:50 Last Updated At:17:07

      A global wave of festive celebrations is unfolding as the Chinese Lunar New Year approaches, with the 2025 Spring Festival Gala promotional video by China Media Group (CMG) serving as a cultural bridge, connecting people from diverse backgrounds to the richness of Chinese traditions.

      The Spring Festival falls on Jan 29 this year, ushering in the Year of the Snake, according to the Chinese lunar calendar.

      At the new compound of the Mission of China to the AU in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, a gala was held on Monday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival.

      Featured Chinese foods and traditional performances from both China and Africa, among others, the event has brought together over 300 participants including the representatives of the AU and the Chinese community in Addis Ababa.

      Monique Nsanzabaganwa, deputy chairperson for the African Union Commission, said AU-China cooperation has achieved gratifying and fruitful results during the previous years, noting China's 35-year-long tradition of dispatching its foreign minister to Africa on their first overseas trips at the start of a year.

      The AU is willing to work with China to make greater contribution to the development and prosperity of the Global South, she said.

      "I wish Africa-China relations will achieve greater progress in 2025 and building an all weather Africa-China community with a shared future for the new era will yield fruitful results," Nsanzabaganwa said.

      The promotional video for the 2025 Spring Festival Gala was also aired at the event, marking a step forward in cultural exchange while igniting interest in Chinese traditions among attendees.

      Meanwhile, cinemas in landmark locations across Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban in South Africa conducted a synchronized screening of the promotional video for the Spring Festival Gala, marking a first for the collaborative initiative.

      A South Korean expatriate residing in South Africa expressed that seeing the promotional video of the gala, which represents elements of the Chinese Lunar New Year, in South African cinemas evoked a warm sense of longing for family reunions within her.

      "As a foreigner, I was very impressed by the Chinese Spring Festival Gala last year, I was so happy to see the beautiful performances in South Africa's shopping mall at Nu Metro (Cinema). I'm very looking forward to see the live performance with my husband and baby at this Chinese New Year," she said.

      In addition, the Chinese Embassy in Zambia on Sunday held the 2025 Zambia-Chinese Spring Festival Temple Fair with a display of Chinese culture in celebration of the upcoming Spring Festival.

      Featuring various Chinese cultures, including a kung fu performance, the celebration attracted scores of both Chinese people and local people, officials from the Chinese embassy and the Zambian government, and representatives of Chinese enterprises operating in Zambia.

      Chinese food was also on display, while Chinese companies took advantage of the ceremony to showcase their products and services.

      During the event, the promotional video for the gala made a stunning appearance, becoming the focal point of the gathering.

      In December last year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization inscribed "Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year" on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

      Promotional video for CMG Spring Festival Gala screened in various countries

      Promotional video for CMG Spring Festival Gala screened in various countries

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