China eyes better public service, stability at rural community

BEIJING - China is pushing for greater stability and better public services at the country's vast rural regions in a bid to shore up lagging civil service and advance urban-rural integration.

In a guidance document on advancing rural community establishment co-issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, Party and government authorities asked provincial governments to pilot rural communities at selected villages, to accommodate "profound changes in the rural area" such as demographic changes and migrant population.

It said the establishment of rural communities is key to consolidating grassroots-level government and the Party's rule.

In particular, local governments should explore ways to "standardize and institutionalize" democratic consultations at rural communities while sticking to self-governance at village-levels, and provide better public services to left-behind children, women and elders.

Local authorities are also asked to provide better legal aid in rural areas, help settle local disputes, enhance rural policing and carry out law education, in order to improve rural governance and rule of law.

Public service should be improved and more people should be encouraged to join volunteer services, the document said, adding that socialist core values should be promoted at grassroots levels while frugality and environmental protection awareness be strengthened.