Reforming China's cadre management system: Two views of a civil service

Asian Survey

Volumn 36, Issue 8, 1996, Pages 772-785

  Tao chiu, Lam ^a   Chan, Hon S ^b  

^a HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY   (Hong Kong)

^b CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG   (Hong Kong)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM; CADRE SYSTEM; CIVIL SERVICE;

CHINA;

EID: 0030436695     PISSN: 00044687     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2307/2645438     Document Type: Article

References (40)

1. Zhao Ziyang, Advancing Along the Road of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics [Yanzhe you zhongguo tese de shehui zhuyi daolu qianjin] (Hong Kong, Joint Publishing Co., 1987); Dai Guangqian, "Proposing a Reform of the Cadre and Personnel System and the State," in John Burns and Jean-Pierre Cabestan, eds., Chinese Law and Government, vol. 23 (Winter 1990-91); Chen Ruisheng, Pong Yuanzheng and Zhu Manliang, eds., Encyclopedia of China's Reform: Political Structure Reform Volume [Zhongguo gaige daquan, zhengzhi tizhi gaige juan] (Dalian, Dalian chubanshe, 1992); "Communique of the State Council of the People's Republic of China" [Zhonghua renmin gongheguo guowuyuan gongbao], no. 18 (2 September 1993), pp. 837-49.
2. Zhao Ziyang, Advancing Along the Road of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics [Yanzhe you zhongguo tese de shehui zhuyi daolu qianjin] (Hong Kong, Joint Publishing Co., 1987); Dai Guangqian, "Proposing a Reform of the Cadre and Personnel System and the State," in John Burns and Jean-Pierre Cabestan, eds., Chinese Law and Government, vol. 23 (Winter 1990-91); Chen Ruisheng, Pong Yuanzheng and Zhu Manliang, eds., Encyclopedia of China's Reform: Political Structure Reform Volume [Zhongguo gaige daquan, zhengzhi tizhi gaige juan] (Dalian, Dalian chubanshe, 1992); "Communique of the State Council of the People's Republic of China" [Zhonghua renmin gongheguo guowuyuan gongbao], no. 18 (2 September 1993), pp. 837-49.
3. Zhao Ziyang, Advancing Along the Road of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics [Yanzhe you zhongguo tese de shehui zhuyi daolu qianjin] (Hong Kong, Joint Publishing Co., 1987); Dai Guangqian, "Proposing a Reform of the Cadre and Personnel System and the State," in John Burns and Jean-Pierre Cabestan, eds., Chinese Law and Government, vol. 23 (Winter 1990-91); Chen Ruisheng, Pong Yuanzheng and Zhu Manliang, eds., Encyclopedia of China's Reform: Political Structure Reform Volume [Zhongguo gaige daquan, zhengzhi tizhi gaige juan] (Dalian, Dalian chubanshe, 1992); "Communique of the State Council of the People's Republic of China" [Zhonghua renmin gongheguo guowuyuan gongbao], no. 18 (2 September 1993), pp. 837-49.
4. Zhao Ziyang, Advancing Along the Road of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics [Yanzhe you zhongguo tese de shehui zhuyi daolu qianjin] (Hong Kong, Joint Publishing Co., 1987); Dai Guangqian, "Proposing a Reform of the Cadre and Personnel System and the State," in John Burns and Jean-Pierre Cabestan, eds., Chinese Law and Government, vol. 23 (Winter 1990-91); Chen Ruisheng, Pong Yuanzheng and Zhu Manliang, eds., Encyclopedia of China's Reform: Political Structure Reform Volume [Zhongguo gaige daquan, zhengzhi tizhi gaige juan] (Dalian, Dalian chubanshe, 1992); "Communique of the State Council of the People's Republic of China" [Zhonghua renmin gongheguo guowuyuan gongbao], no. 18 (2 September 1993), pp. 837-49.
5. A more detailed discussion is in Lam Tao-chiu and Hon S. Chan, "The Civil Service System: Policy Formulation and Implementation," in Lo Chi Kin, Suzanne Pepper and Tsui Kai Yuen, eds., China Review 1995 (Hong Kong, Chinese University Press, 1995), pp. 2.1-2.43.
6. The 16th draft was issued within the personnel system to seek comment. The text is reprinted in Xu Songtao, ed., An Explanation of the Provisional Regulations on State Civil Servants (draft) [Guojia gongwuyuan zanxing tiaoli (chaoan) zhushi shuoming] (Beijing: Zhongguo renshi chubanshe, 1989), pp. 209-23. An earlier draft in English trans., made available to a conference sponsored by the UNDP in Beijing in October 1988, is found in Burns and Cabestan, Chinese Law and Government.
7. The 16th draft was issued within the personnel system to seek comment. The text is reprinted in Xu Songtao, ed., An Explanation of the Provisional Regulations on State Civil Servants (draft) [Guojia gongwuyuan zanxing tiaoli (chaoan) zhushi shuoming] (Beijing: Zhongguo renshi chubanshe, 1989), pp. 209-23. An earlier draft in English trans., made available to a conference sponsored by the UNDP in Beijing in October 1988, is found in Burns and Cabestan, Chinese Law and Government.
8. Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping [Dengxiaoping wenxuan], vol. 3 (Beijing: Renmin chubanshe, 1993), p. 296; and "CPC Central's Notice on Strengthening Party Construction" (28 August 1989), reprinted in Selection of Documents on Personnel Work (Renshi gongzuo wenjian xuanbian), vol. 12 (1990), pp. 12-23.
9. Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping [Dengxiaoping wenxuan], vol. 3 (Beijing: Renmin chubanshe, 1993), p. 296; and "CPC Central's Notice on Strengthening Party Construction" (28 August 1989), reprinted in Selection of Documents on Personnel Work (Renshi gongzuo wenjian xuanbian), vol. 12 (1990), pp. 12-23.
10. Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping [Dengxiaoping wenxuan], vol. 3 (Beijing: Renmin chubanshe, 1993), p. 296; and "CPC Central's Notice on Strengthening Party Construction" (28 August 1989), reprinted in Selection of Documents on Personnel Work (Renshi gongzuo wenjian xuanbian), vol. 12 (1990), pp. 12-23.
11. Of course, the reform also sought to improve efficiency and quality in state administration and establish a system to better motivate the civil service. These have consistently been key considerations informing cadre and personnel system reform in the post-Mao era. Since the focus of this article is on how the civil service idea has changed in different political contexts, these important aspects are not stressed.
12. Deng Xiaoping, Building Socialism with Chinese Characteristics [Jianshe you zhongguo tese de shehui zhuyi], enlarged edition (Hong Kong, Sanlian shudian), p. 126.
13. Zhao Ziyang, Advancing Along the Road of Socialism.
14. John Burns, "China's Nomenklatura System," Problems of Communism, September/October 1987, pp. 36-51.
15. Zhao Ziyang, Advancing, p. 37.
16. This was made explicit in the resolution of the 7th Plenum of the 12th Congress.
17. Dai Guangqian, "Proposing a Reform," pp. 66-67. For a similar but more implicit view expressed by a senior official from the Ministry of Personnel, see Zhang Zhijian, "On the Management Organs of Civil Servants," reprinted in Chinese Personnel Yearbook 1988-1989 [Zhongguo renshi nianjian] (Beijing, Zhongguo renshi chubanshe, 1991). Zhang has been vice-minister of personnel since March 1988. The specialist small group submitted a report to Zhao Ziyang's task force in June 1987. Interview with officials at Ministry of Personnel, Beijing, November 1994.
18. Dai Guangqian, "Proposing a Reform," pp. 66-67. For a similar but more implicit view expressed by a senior official from the Ministry of Personnel, see Zhang Zhijian, "On the Management Organs of Civil Servants," reprinted in Chinese Personnel Yearbook 1988-1989 [Zhongguo renshi nianjian] (Beijing, Zhongguo renshi chubanshe, 1991). Zhang has been vice-minister of personnel since March 1988. The specialist small group submitted a report to Zhao Ziyang's task force in June 1987. Interview with officials at Ministry of Personnel, Beijing, November 1994.
19. Hu Zhenmin, "Management System of the State Civil Servants" [Guojia gongwuyuan guanli tizhi], in Liu Junlin and Dai Guangqian, eds., Lectures on State Civil Service System [Guojia gongwuyuan zhidu jianghua] (Beijing, Nengyuan chubanshe), p. 326.
20. Xu Songtao, "The Formation and Development of State Civil Service System" [Guojia gongwuyuan zhidu de xingcheng he fazhan], in Training Materials of the State Civil Service System (Guojia gongwuyuan zhidu peixun jiangyi] (Beijing, China Senior Civil Servants Training Center, Ministry of Personnel, 1992). Li Peng was quoted as saying that the most important part of China's guoqing (national situation) was that the party and the government could not be separated.
21. Zhao Ziyang, Advancing Along the Road of Socialism.
22. "Research and Discussion Report on the Reform of Cadre and Personnel System" prepared by the specialist small group. See also Liu Junlin, "Reform of Cadre and Personnel Management and the State Civil Service System" [Ganbu renshi zhidu gaige yu guojia gongwuyuan zhidu], in Liu and Dai, Lectures, p. 12.
23. "Research and Discussion Report on the Reform of Cadre and Personnel System" prepared by the specialist small group. See also Liu Junlin, "Reform of Cadre and Personnel Management and the State Civil Service System" [Ganbu renshi zhidu gaige yu guojia gongwuyuan zhidu], in Liu and Dai, Lectures, p. 12.
24. Ezra Vogel, "Politicized Bureaucracy: Communist China," in Fred Riggs, ed., Frontiers of Development Administration (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1971), p. 567.
25. Our interviewees suggested that some forms of political neutrality existed in fact although not in name in China. For example, many senior officials closely associated with Zhao Ziyang's policies were not purged after Zhao's demise. (Interviews, Beijing, November 1994, April, 1995.) Some interviewees went so far as to state that a formal distinction between political and administrative civil servants only formalized a distinction actually present in Chinese politics. Gong Xiangrui, a veteran public administration scholar, also argued that although there would be no neutrality in different political parties, it was possible to have neutrality in different governments under one party. Interview, Beijing, April 1995.
26. Our interviewees suggested that some forms of political neutrality existed in fact although not in name in China. For example, many senior officials closely associated with Zhao Ziyang's policies were not purged after Zhao's demise. (Interviews, Beijing, November 1994, April, 1995.) Some interviewees went so far as to state that a formal distinction between political and administrative civil servants only formalized a distinction actually present in Chinese politics. Gong Xiangrui, a veteran public administration scholar, also argued that although there would be no neutrality in different political parties, it was possible to have neutrality in different governments under one party. Interview, Beijing, April 1995.
27. Xu Songtao, "Formation and Development of the State Civil Service system."
28. See Luo Gan and Song Defu in 1993 Manual of Reform of the Wage System of the State Organs and Service Units (Yijiu jiusan nian jiguan, shiye danwei gongzi zhidu gaige gongzuo shouce) (Beijing: Renmin chubanshe, 1994), pp. 3-30, 48-60. An interviewee who had been involved in drafting of the new regulations, asked about changes made by Li Peng, said the premier was very concerned with developing a xinchen daixie jizhi.
29. On closer examination, the Provisional Regulations do not entirely follow Li Peng's views. Article 45 reads: "An appointment system shall apply to state civil servants, but some positions shall come under a contract system."
30. Li Peng made this point when he finally agreed to meet Zhao Dongwan and Cheng Lianchang, minister and vice-minister of personnel, respectively, to discuss the civil service system in December 1991. Interview with an official at the Ministry of Personnel, Beijing, April 1995.
31. Chen Yeping, "Stressing Both Virtue and Ability, While Giving More Emphasis on Virtue" (Decai jianbei, yide weizhu), Renmin ribao, 1 September, 1991. Chen was then deputy director, Central Organization Department. Also Zhao Dongwan, "Insisting on the Principle of Both Virtue and Ability in the Selection and Use of Cadre" (Xuanba he shiyong ganbu bixu jianchi decai jianbei de yuanze), Seeking Truth (Qiushi), no. 2 (1989), reprinted in Chinese Personnel Yearbook, 1988-1989, pp. 474-6.
32. Chen Yeping, "Stressing Both Virtue and Ability, While Giving More Emphasis on Virtue" (Decai jianbei, yide weizhu), Renmin ribao, 1 September, 1991. Chen was then deputy director, Central Organization Department. Also Zhao Dongwan, "Insisting on the Principle of Both Virtue and Ability in the Selection and Use of Cadre" (Xuanba he shiyong ganbu bixu jianchi decai jianbei de yuanze), Seeking Truth (Qiushi), no. 2 (1989), reprinted in Chinese Personnel Yearbook, 1988-1989, pp. 474-6.
33. Zhao Ziyang, Advancing Along the Road, p. 37.
34. Xu Songtao, ed., Explanation of the Provisional Regulations, pp. 213-14.
35. "Notice on Using Examination to Recruit New Employees in State Administrative Organs," Selection of Documents on Personnel Work, vol. 12 (1989), pp. 40-42. The first central level recruitment examination since the promulgation of the civil service regulations was held in September 1994. Liaoning and Jilin provinces also held their first recruitment examinations in late 1994, but progress at local levels has been uneven. Interviews at the Ministry of Personnel, Beijing, November-December, 1995.
36. Kang Yao, "Civil Service Wage System" (Gongwuyuan gongzi zhidu), in Department of Training and Personnel, Ministry of Personnel, ed., A Collection of Training Materials for State Civil Service System (Guojia gongwuyuan zhidu peixunban cailiao xuanbian), September 1988, p. 221; Shi Jian and Wu Zhi, The Wage of Chinese Officials (Zhongguo guanyuan de gongzi) (Beijing, Gaige chubanshe, 1993), pp. 251-53.
37. Kang Yao, "Civil Service Wage System" (Gongwuyuan gongzi zhidu), in Department of Training and Personnel, Ministry of Personnel, ed., A Collection of Training Materials for State Civil Service System (Guojia gongwuyuan zhidu peixunban cailiao xuanbian), September 1988, p. 221; Shi Jian and Wu Zhi, The Wage of Chinese Officials (Zhongguo guanyuan de gongzi) (Beijing, Gaige chubanshe, 1993), pp. 251-53.
38. Kang Yao, ibid., p. 220; Shi Jian and Wu Zhi, ibid., p. 253.
39. Kang Yao, ibid., p. 220; Shi Jian and Wu Zhi, ibid., p. 253.
40. Interviews, Beijing, April, November 1995; interviews, Hong Kong, October 1995.