By Yu Xiaogang, Green Watershed, China Presented at the Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy Phnom Penh, Cambodia December 7-9, 2011 Session 6b: Sustainable decision-making--the value of transparency

1. Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy
Dec 7-9, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Transparency of GOVT, COM. and
NGO in China
Yu Xiaogang
Green Watershed, China

2. SARS
(2003)
Minister of health :
Zhang Wenkang
Mayor of Beijing:
Meng Xuenong
Were dismissed for no
transparency

3. Songhua river pollution case
Xie zhenghua, minister
resigned

4. Regulation on disclosure
• May 1, 2008
• the Regulations on Government Information
Disclosure. came into effect
• The regulations stipulate that government
offices have an obligation to publish all
information regarding the institution and its
operation, with the exception of properly
defined "secrets".

5. • town and township levels disclose
implementation of relevant state policies , revenue
and expenditure
• county or city levels publicize plans about local
development, the examination and approval of major
projects
Provincial governments publicize policies and overall
plans for local economic and social development,
fiscal budget reports and final account reports
• State release information on natural disasters,
emergencies and production safety accidents …
• Source :e- government plan

6. Results：
• China Administration Transparency Report Lauched
（ 2011.9.30）by Peking University
• evaluated 30 provincial governments and 43
institutions set up by China's State Council.
• “over 60 percent of 30 provincial governments have
passed information transparency requirements.”
• “about 80 percent of State Council institutions failed
the transparency requirements.”

7. • The Chinese Academy of Social Science released a
survey report, 2011-02-28
• The survey investigated 59 departments, of which
43 departments released information for review.
• A full mark of 100 points equates to a
“transparent government”. Only 8 departments
received a satisfactory score.

10. Complaints on government
transparency
•
1. Too hard to get information.
• 2. Too much information needed from applicant.
3. Information is not useful.
• 4. State secrets, commercial secrets, privacy are
often excuses for rejection.

11. China's Supreme People's Court (SPC)
issued a judicial explanation
• August 13,2011
• China's Supreme People's Court (SPC)
issued a judicial explanation to regulate
and standardize trial procedures for
government information disclosure cases.

12. • citizens may file lawsuits against
governments if their requests for
information disclosures are rejected or if
they do not receive a response from the
government before a specified deadline.
• Secrets protection, but If the secrets
concern to damaging public interests,
should be disclosed.

13. Zijin co., pollution case

14. • Zijin Mining Co. case
• List in stock marked, the biggest gold production
company, was stopped transaction for several
days for not disclose environment information.
The toxic material polluted the local rivers.
• It refuse to disclose info to public:
• NGO use internet to publish the info on Zijin
pollution case.
• The turn point of public require information from
companies.

15. • NGOs later find, include Zijin co., there
175 companies listed in HK stock market
have pollution record insied China, the
listing companies must be check and
disclose environment information to
public and investers.
•

16. • In year 2009-10
• Information disclosure regulations issued
for
• Companies list in stock market
• State owned central level Companies
• Bank and financial sector
And for
their regulation commissions (government).

17. l
• NGO, foundation requiremen
• 三天毁掉一百年

19. • Guo meimei, 20year gird English name Baby.
• Destroy 100 year reputation of Red Cross
within 3 days.
• She show her luxurious live and her
relationship with top leader of RC was
uncovered

20. • The public donation for ordinary year decrease
sharply
• 2008, 24 billion
• 2009, 50 billion
• 2010, 60 billion
• 2011, 20 billion
• RC impact whole charity sector and NGOs.

21. • 2011, “The year for NGO transparency “
• Many NGO disclose their finance and
implementation report.
• The NGO transparency has been discussed for
20 years, various guides produced, however
only a few NGO seriously followed.
• Gou Meimei force NGOs to be more
transparent, if NGO want survival.

22. • The regulation of information disclosure for
social organization have been consulted and
discussed, and will be issues earlier next year.
• Thank you