‘It’s a joke!’: Chinese premier mounts another attack on ‘ridiculous’ red tape

Premier Li Keqiang has again gone on the warpath against “ridiculous” red tape, saying it was a joke that in one case a holidaymaker was told to prove his mother was his mother just to name her as an emergency contact on a travel form.

Li’s comments were released on a government website on Wednesday after he chaired a regular State Council meeting on ways to streamline administration, delegate power and cut administrative licensing and approvals.

During the meeting, Li offered three anecdotes to show how bureaucracy was making life harder for the public.

“I read a media report where a person put his mother’s name down as an emergency contact on a travel form. But some department requested he provide materials proving his mother was really his mother,” Li said.

“How can anybody provide such proof? It’s a huge joke! He wants to go on holiday and this is what happens?

“Are they deliberately setting up obstacles?””

Li cited another case of a grass-roots worker in Hainan province who wanted to apply for a national model worker award.

“He needed eight official seals just to submit the application but he couldn’t get them despite days of running around,” Li said.

“It was only resolved after special approval by provincial leaders.

“Soon after he got the last chop, he melted into tears.

“Why is it so difficult for civilians to get things done with the government? Why must the government put up so many barriers for its people?”

Li’s third example was from a meeting with a Taiwanese merchant during a trip to Fujian province last month.

Li said he was told the merchants were not getting enough protection for their intellectual property rights.

He said officials should focus on areas like these that needed attention and stop meddling in those that didn’t.

Li told the State Council that gains had been made in streamlining administration and delegating power but there was still a long way to go to meet the public’s expectations.

— South China Morning Post