Making it work

Training programs have helped officials achieve significant results at work. Following his return from an internship in the US, Liu Xin, deputy director-general of Sichuan's department of commerce, was told to use his experiences to bring more jobs to the province.

Small businesses are the backbone of the US economy and receive numerous benefits. However, in China only large businesses and corporations enjoy preferential policies.

During his time shadowing the commissioner of Georgia's Department of Economic Development, he observed that the authority paid more attention to creating better jobs than to revenues generated by companies. The state offered a variety of tax credits to boost employment.

Now, Sichuan is putting small firms on an equal footing with corporations with eight different training programs that teach would-be entrepreneurs how to make businesses more efficient.

"We also send owners and entrepreneurs abroad to learn the market," said Liu. "We're actively seeking overseas companies to partner with."

In the last five years, roughly 300 small and medium-sized enterprises have taken advantage of government programs and network support every year, with many now exporting their own products, added Liu.

One of the best examples is Aiminer, which makes leather shoes. The firm used to handle outsourced production contracts for foreign brands, but after receiving government assistance it established its own brand and in 2009 reported an export volume of more than US$30 million.

"Small businesses are very important," said Liu. "They create jobs for people and help the economy."

However, critics argue that overseas programs are not as effective as claimed, considering China has a different political system to developed countries.

Of the 8,000 or so officials who have attended the MPA program at NTU, not one has successfully adapted Singapore's administration system after returning to China, said Ho Khai Leong, an associate professor at its school of humanities and social sciences in an interview with The Time Weekly based in Guangzhou. For him, the system is only likely to serve as a reference.

Zhang Zhibin, assistant professor of public administration at NTU and director of its MPA program, admitted classes focus more on the skills to solve practical problems, such as in urban planning and environmental administration.

However, he added that what Chinese officials learn unconsciously during a year in Singapore will help them break through technical layers and look deeper into their own systems and culture.

Criticism of government spending on overseas training has also come from within China, with some netizens dubbing the programs "free vacations" paid for by taxpayers.

"(Job shadowing overseas) is a waste of human and financial power to a large extent," said Wu Pi, a professor at Peking University's school of government in an interview with People's Daily online.

He said that some officials don't make an effort during their study and damage the reputation of the Party. In the age of information, people can share training resources from overseas through various channels, including the Internet, he said.