China vows to further streamline administrative procedures

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged for more efforts to streamline administration and scale back government controls to unleash economic vitality.

The government will cancel more regulatory approval items, make enterprise registration easier and waive unreasonable administrative charges this year, Li said at a national teleconference of China's senior and middle-level officials, the mainstay of policy making and enforcement.

The meeting underlined Chinese leaders' resolution to tackle a long-standing issue of red tape, in the hope of promoting more streamlined and efficient economy.

Last Wednesday, during the latest State Council meeting, the premier expressed his displeasure by harshly criticizing excessive regulation and red tape, ridiculing scenarios in which citizens were asked to prove "your mother is your mother" when obtaining a government permit.

Fighting against red tape has taken on new urgency as China's growth slows and a series of reforms are designed to steer the economy away from its unsustainable model powered by state-directed investment to more vital growth engines such as private consumption and services. Endi