China's Mixed Transparency Record

The PRC government has taken positive steps in recent years to increase regulatory transparency, but China's lawmakers still have a mixed record when it comes to implementing transparency commitments. According to an analysis by the US-China Business Council (USCBC), the National People's Congress released one-third of laws passed during a recent 12-month period, while the State Council and its ministries posted for public comment 62% of rules and regulations during the same period. In April, USCBC released its fourth annual report on transparency, which covered the PRC government's transparency efforts from the period of mid-March 2011 to mid-March 2012. The report focused on areas in which the central government has pledged to improve transparency. Overall, USCBC found that PRC government agencies showed mixed results in meeting their transparency goals. While the PRC government has improved its record of complying with some transparency commitments, the government could do more to raise transparency and clarify exactly which documents warrant public notice.