Building public service-oriented government in China

摘要

Purpose - Legislative hearings are a relatively new way of encouraging citizen participation inrnadministrative law making within China. The first such hearing in Liaoning Province (Dalian City)rnwas held in April 2005. The purpose of this paper is to examine the detail of the hearing process andrnattempts to assess its effectiveness as a mechanism for engagement between citizen and the state.rnDesign/methodology/approach - The authors consider both the practicalities of running a publicrnhearing and its influence on the legal regulations under scrutiny. More generally, and within the limitsrnof one case study, we consider whether hearings have the potential to shift the balance of power awayrnfrom the state and its officials towards a more inclusive form of decision-making.rnFindings - Legislative public hearings appear to offer the opportunity for public engagement. Thernout-workings of these in practice, if the Dalian case study and secondary evidence from five otherrnChinese cities is typical, suggests practical limitations, some of which are bound up with the culturalrnorigins of a paternalistic public sector in China and deference to authority.rnOriginality/value - This paper examines whether citizen participation has been influenced by thernwider global reform process of new public management and modernisation, synonymous withrndeveloped countries and offers insight into a more inclusive form of decision making for other publicrnservices.