2018-09-03

山高皇帝远 Local Chinese Officials Don't Follow President Xi's Orders

One of the greatest misconceptions by those unfamiliar with China is that corruption and violation of basic rights flows out of Beijing. In fact, many of the abuses you might not see in a Western report are the work of local bureaucrats. Granted, their power flows from the Communist Party, but the Chinese idiom 山高皇帝远 says "the mountains are tall and the Emperor is far away." Pursuing local interests at the expense of the center's wishes is as old as the imperial system in China.

SCMP: China cracks down on bureaucracy ‘paralysed by fear’
Those who refuse to implement policy directives from the party’s Central Committee, who run their own agenda, or “are not resolute enough, cut corners or make accommodations” in applying them, will be subject to punishment under the new rules, which took effect on August 18.

...The party had tried a softer approach in May, seeking to cajole cadres into action with a plan for a system that would offer incentives and tolerate their mistakes during attempts to reform and innovate.

But despite the long-touted efficiency of the authoritarian regime, central government policies have often met resistance at the local level when they go against the interests of authorities.

...But the government is well aware of the problem. Premier Li Keqiang, for one, has repeatedly scolded procrastinating officials for being slack and lazy in implementing Beijing’s policy directives.
Back in 2014, I expected the Xi-Li administration would achieve more success, but here we are in 2018 and they're still trying to drain China's version of The Swamp.

2014: PBOC FTW. From an article quoted in that post:
Nowadays, Li, known for his scholarly manners, has started to show his frustration openly.

According to mainland media reports, Li chaired at least two cabinet meetings over the past two weeks to focus on ways to streamline and delegate government regulatory powers.

At one meeting, on May 30, Li reportedly pounded the table as he blasted local officials for inertia in carrying out central government directives.

He accused departments of micromanaging the economy and wasting time and resources examining and approving projects and deals that were entirely commercial matters unrelated to national security or strategic industries.

Li vowed to do whatever it took to keep his promise to remove and delegate more than 200 administrative approval procedures by year's end.

...The ambitious reform drive, trumpeted by President Xi Jinping and Premier Li, is now entering a stalemate even before the real battle against vested interests and state-sector monopolies has barely begun.

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