“Market regulators should both select targets for inspection and dispatch inspectors at random, and promptly release the results to the public, in order to create a fair and convenient market that adheres to the rule of law,” Premier Li Keqiang said at the State Council executive meeting on June 6.

Decisions were also made at the meeting to unify market supervision systems and process and integrate different supervision platforms.

Cross-department coordinated inspections will be promoted, and repetitive checks will be cut. Grassroots law enforcement agencies are urged to improve, especially their performance appraisal systems.

The method of “double-random” checks in market supervision was first introduced to the Premier in 2014, as he visited Tianjin Xingang Customs. The person in charge there said the random checks can both eliminate any opportunities for graft and save time in customs clearance.

Premier Li praised it as “an innovation” and immediately asked related departments to seriously consider and promote the practice.

The next year, the “double-random” checks and openness of check results were adopted by Customs in import and export supervision. In July 2015, it was also promoted by the State Council in a notice.

Since 2016, the method has been part of the Government Work Report each year.

“The random checks and openness of results have proven effective in practice, so it is time to implement them comprehensively,” Premier Li said after listening to a report from the market regulator.

At the meeting, Premier Li cited the practice of a European country as an example. To secure food safety, local governments conduct inspections on family farms twice a year — one is at a fixed time targeting all farms, and the other is decided through lottery. Farms will be punished if their products don’t meet standards, so no one can rely on luck.

In cases involving complaints or whistle-blowing that calls for special inspections, strict procedures should be followed, Premier Li said. “For those who do not conform to the double random check, related departments should respond to public concerns in a timely manner. Targets for inspection and inspectors should not be selected through anyone’s will.”

“The newly established State Administration for Market Regulation should take the lead in promoting coordinated supervision among different government departments,” the Premier said. “Repetitive supervision should be put to an end, to make things easier for enterprises.”

He urged related departments to innovate methods of market supervision, in order to build a better business climate.