The General Office of the State Council released a document on April 29, stressing five aspects the government affairs disclosure work in 2019 should be focused on: strengthening policy interpretation and response to public concerns, increasing transparency of policymaking and implementation, furthering information disclosure in key areas, building information disclosure platforms, and improving the information disclosure system.

According to the document, important policies and measures should be interpreted simultaneously by departments that formulated them; public issues discussed at the State Council executive meetings should be further explained at regular policy briefings.

Public concerns should be addressed actively. Multiple ways of expression, such as pictures, videos and statistics, will be encouraged to enhance the quality of the responses.

When drafting policies, authorities should solicit public opinions by holding hearings and symposiums, collecting suggestions online or communicating with media, among other means.

Information concerning policy implementation and law enforcement should be open to the public. In the process of carrying out major policies, evaluations of public opinions and adjustments of policies should be strengthened and the results should be released. The duties, bases, procedures and results of law enforcement and oversight approaches should be unveiled, too.

The document called for furthering information disclosure in key areas. Information on resolving major risks, fighting poverty and pollution, reform in administrative services, and issues concerning people’s livelihoods, should be released in a timely manner. Besides, fiscal information should be published in the details.

Standardized, high-quality government websites will be developed to improve government services, according to the document. Government websites of different regions and departments should strengthen connectivity with the central government website. Government new media platforms should also be further promoted. Government gazettes should be released in both electronic and paper versions, and an online database should be established for them.

Offline and online government services should be integrated. Government service centers should provide single-window services that only require one visit.

Information disclosure systems should be improved, the document stressed. Authorities in different regions and departments involved should pay great attention to the disclosure of government affairs, and strictly carry out the newly revised government information disclosure regulations. Outcomes and experience in pilot areas should be extended. Also, information technology tools should be applied to strengthen the management of government information.