點擊關注十八屆三中全會雙語熱詞專題

不久前，黨中央、國務院頒發了《關于地方政府職能轉變和機構改革的意見》，這是貫徹落實黨的十八大和十八屆二中全會精神作出的又一項重大決策，是指導和規范地方政府改革的重要文件。今天的會議是繼今年5月國務院機構職能轉變動員電視電話會議后又一次重要會議，主要任務是進一步統一思想，深入動員，對地方政府職能轉變和機構改革進行安排部署，把中央的決策落到實處。

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、 上下聯動，做好政府改革這篇大文章

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

如果說中央政府改革是上篇，地方政府改革就是下篇，需要整體構思、通盤考慮、上下貫通，把政府改革的整篇文章做好。地方政府職能轉變和機構改革，是黨和國家改革開放事業大局的重要內容，也是深化行政體制改革的重要組成部分。政府改革的主要目的，就是進一步理順政府和市場、政府和社會、中央和地方的關系，更好地發揮市場、社會的作用，更好地調動中央和地方兩個積極性，推動政府全面正確地履行職能，加快現代政府建設，努力促進經濟持續健康發展、社會不斷進步，不斷滿足人民群眾的新期待、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） 地方政府改革事關經濟持續發展和轉型升級。我國經濟發展到今天，要實現長期增長、持續健康發展，必須轉型升級，無論是從當前還是從長遠看，都到了轉型升級的關鍵階段。

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.

新一屆政府成立以后，面臨的國內外經濟形勢錯綜復雜，經濟下行壓力增大；財政收入增速下滑，中央財政一度出現負增長；貨幣增量也難以再擴大，因為池子里的水已經很多。在這種情況下，我們把政府職能轉變和機構改革作為開門的第一件大事，緊緊抓住不放，既作為全面深化改革的“馬前卒”，又作為宏觀調控的“當頭炮”。半年多來，我們保持定力、穩中有為，創新宏觀調控方式；同時深處著力、穩中有進，下大力氣推進職能轉變、簡政放權，中央政府分四批取消和下放了300多項行政審批等事項。原來以為，通過取消和下放審批事項激發市場活力要有一個過程，實際上這樣一個強烈的信號發出后，對市場的預期、市場的活力、社會資本的調動，雖然不能說立竿見影，但已初見成效。社會投資和創業熱情迸發，加快改革與調整結構疊加的效果，超出人們的預期。今年以來，企業登記數增長25%，其中民營和個體企業增長37%，帶動了民間投資以23%左右的速度增長，明顯超過政府性投資增速，這也是三季度經濟穩中向好的一個重要因素。通過轉變職能，把該放的權放下去、放到位，激發市場活力、需求潛力和發展的內生動力，可以有力推動結構調整、轉型升級，促進以開放帶動改革。把中央的相關權力放給地方，促進貿易和投資便利化，可以提高經濟運行效率。通過簡政放權可以做到政府不花錢能辦事或少花錢多辦事，這個道理我們要深刻領會。

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.

改革開放35年來，各級地方黨委政府牢牢扭住經濟建設這個中心不放，為推動我國經濟社會發展作出了巨大貢獻。今年以來，各地花了很大氣力，取得了經濟社會發展的新成效。從當前看，穩增長的壓力仍然很大，財政收入的增速不高，而改善民生的剛性支出不能減，甚至在有些方面還需增加。經濟發展靠財政支出和政府投資，靠中央再多打赤字、多增發票子，已經受到很大限制，這方面的政策空間很有限了。從長遠看，各地要實現經濟持續健康發展，再繼續走老路，靠政府擴大債務、單純經營土地，靠高投入、高消耗、高排放，也會形成過剩產能，肯定走不長，也走不通。即便短期有效，長期代價也很大。所以，對各級政府來說，無論是當前穩增長，還是長遠謀發展，都要靠改革創新。這就必須加快轉變政府職能，下決心破除審批多、辦證多、收費多、罰款多的體制機制障礙，把推動發展的著力點放到發揮企業、市場、社會力量的作用上來。

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）地方政府改革是整個政府改革的大頭。地方政府直接與企業接觸，直接聯系人民群眾，市場主體和人民群眾的權益也主要通過地方政府去實現、維護和發展。在整個政府體系中，地方政府作用十分重要，我國90%以上的公務員、85%左右的財政最終支出是在地方。尤其是基層政府，屬于我們通常講的“最后一公里”。政府機構改革能不能達到預期目的，職能轉變能不能落實，很大程度上取決于地方政府。近來我們到地方調研或開座談會，許多企業家認為，中央政府下放了許多權力，下一步還要看地方，如果地方政府改革不及時跟進，簡政放權的效果就會大打折扣。我對他們說，中央政府下了決心，真正做到位，樹立起標桿，地方政府就一定會按中央的要求去做。在當前情況下，要穩增長，簡政放權是一個極為重要的手段。穩增長也是為了保就業。簡政放權、取消和下放行政審批事項，激發市場活力，讓企業、社會更有創造力，就可以帶動更多的就業。如果上動下不動、頭轉身不轉，政府職能轉變和機構改革就可能變成“假改”、“虛晃一槍”。今年5月份以來，各地新一輪簡政放權取得積極成效，但受地方和部門利益影響，也出現了一些“錯放、空放、亂放”等現象。有的只下放復雜的、管理責任大的，“含金量”較高的仍然留在手中；有的放權有水分，動輒上百項，但“干貨”不多。這里要強調的是，在改革過程中，各地要有全局觀、大局觀，不能打“小算盤”、“小九九”，更不允許“走過場”、“變戲法”，確保簡政放權真正到位、見效。

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）地方政府改革對于保證中央政令暢通、發揮地方積極性十分重要。這次改革，要進一步處理好中央和地方的關系。一方面要確保中央的政令暢通。把不該管的放下去，這樣就有更多精力把該管的更好地管起來，這有利于中央的政令暢通。另一方面要把地方政府的積極性充分調動起來。我國是單一制國家，實行中央統一領導、地方分級管理的體制。對中央的大政方針，地方必須統一步調，不折不扣地貫徹執行。同時還要看到，我國是一個大國，各地情況千差萬別，發展很不平衡，必須從實際出發，發揮地方因地制宜管理經濟社會的作用。我國經濟社會發展到現在這個階段，人民群眾的需求越來越多，層次也不一樣，政府服務事項也越來越多，也很復雜，各地要從實際出發，更加積極主動，創造性地開展工作。“上下同欲者勝”。大家心往一處想，勁往一處使，我們的事情就能辦得更好。

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.