Hostname: page-component-6bf8c574d5-qdpjg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-25T23:18:57.205Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Government Work Reports: Securing State Legitimacy through Institutionalization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2017

Zhen Wang
Zhen Wang*
Affiliation:
Middle Tennessee State University. Email: [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Relying on fieldwork conducted in two provinces, this article provides a systemic study of China's Government Work Reports (GWRs), examining their function, format, how they are formulated and implemented, their content and their research values. Whilst the existing literature mostly focuses on central government reports, this research integrates GWRs from all administrative levels. I argue that over time, the GWRs have developed into a highly institutionalized nationwide system with two important aspects – local elites’ autonomy in setting work agendas, and their compliance with central government policy priorities. Additionally, my study shows that by using quantifiable targets and celebrating achievements framed in concrete statistics, the GWRs help to sustain the legitimacy of the party-state. Finally, my study finds GWRs to be a versatile scholarly resource that can be used for various research interests and methods.

摘要

基于对两个省的实地考察和调研, 本文系统地研究了中国政府工作报告——包括它的功能、格式、如何被制作完成和实施、内容及其研究价值。现有的相关文献多是侧重于中央政府工作报告, 而本文的研究则涵盖了从中央到地方的所有层级。本文的主要观点是: 随着时间的推移, 政府工作报告已经发展为一个全国性的、高度制度化的体系, 而且这个体系呈现出两个突出特征——地方政府精英对规划本地政府工作重心的自主性, 和对中央政府大政方针保持的高度一致性。此外, 本研究发现, 政府工作报告通过坚实的数据量化本年度准备完成的工作目标和上年度的成就, 以此来巩固政府的执政合法性。最后, 研究显示, 政府工作报告中详实多样的各种数据和内容对从不同领域和利用各种方法研究中国的学者都提供了海量的资源。

Keywords

government work reportperformance/cadre evaluationpolicy implementationlocal autonomycomplianceinstitutionalizationChina政府工作报告政绩/干部考核政策实施地方政府自主权服从制度化
Type
Research Reports
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 229 , March 2017 , pp. 195 - 204
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © SOAS University of London 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ah.gov.cn. 2015. “Government work report – delivered at the fourth session of the 12th provincial people's congress on January 26, 2015 by Governor Wang Xuejun,” 1 February, http://xxgk.ah.gov.cn/UserData/DocHtml/731/2015/2/1/785928124286.html. Accessed 16 January 2016.Google Scholar
Bleiberg, Joshua, and West, Darrell M.. 2015. “At Chinese ‘State of the Union,’ key technology policies underline innovation goals,” Brookings Institution, 11 March, http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/techtank/posts/2015/03/11-china-two-sessions-internet. Accessed 16 January 2016.Google Scholar
Geng, Yanhua, and Yang, Zhong. 2010. “Jiyu yuliaoku de Zhongguo zhengfu gongzuo baogao hexin zhutici yanjiu” (A corpus-based analysis of key words in Chinese GWRs). Waiyu xuekan 157(6), 69–72.Google Scholar
Hubei.gov.cn. 2015. “Government work report – delivered at the third session of the 12th provincial people's congress on January 27, 2015 by Governor Wang Guosheng,” 4 February, http://gkml.hubei.gov.cn/auto5472/auto5473/201502/t20150204_616065.html. Accessed 16 January 2016.Google Scholar
Liang, Jianzhang, and Huang, Wenzheng. 2015. “Zongli baogao yushi jisheng zhengce jiang tuichu” (Premier's Report portends the withering away of family planning policy), 6 March, http://opinion.caixin.com/2015-03-06/100788624.html. Accessed 16 January 2016.Google Scholar
Liu, Xiaobiao. 2008. “Zhengfu gongzuo baogao 30 nian de cihui bianqian” (The changing vocabulary of 30 years of GWRs), Xinjingbao Review Weekly, 28 December, http://www.chinaelections.org/article/829/140511.html. Accessed 16 January 2016.Google Scholar
Mou, Shanwu, Zong, Youzhi and Mou, Shanwen. 2013. “Woguo zhengfu gongzuo baogao youguan jingji tiyu fazhan qiwang de fenxi” (An analysis of the GWRs’ expectations on competitive sports). Tiyu wenhua daokan 12, 1–3.Google Scholar
Peng, Qing. 2005. “Cong zhengfu gongzuo baogao de wenzi biaoshu kan woguo duobian waijiao zhengce: 1986–2005” (Analysing China's multilateral diplomacy based on a textual analysis of GWRs: 1986–2005). Waijiao pinglun 83, 50–56.Google Scholar
Qing, Yu. 2007. “Minsheng wenti de zhengzhixue jiedu: jiyu 2007 nian zhengfu gongzuo baogao” (A political analysis of the issue of people's well-being: based on the 2007 GWR). Ningxia dangxiao xuebao 9(5), 29–32.Google Scholar
Xu, Haocheng. 2010. “Qicao zhengfu gongzuo baogao de gan yuku” (The bittersweetness of drafting the GWR). Juece 2–3, 19–21.Google Scholar
Xu, Yayuan, and Mao, Haoran. 2013. “Dalu duitai zhengce de huayu zhixu yu cihui jiangou” (The narrative discourse of the mainland's policy towards Taiwan – based on 1993–2012 GWRs). Fujian shifan daxue xuebao 182(5), 118–124.Google Scholar
Yang, Dali. 2004. Remaking the Chinese Leviathan: Market Transition and the Politics of Governance in China. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Zheng, Wei. 2006. “Baoxian, shehui baozhang yu jingji shehui fazhan guanxi yanjiu – zhengfu gongzuo baogao shijiao de jiedu” (A study of the relationship between insurance, social security and socio-economic development – from the perspective of the GWRs). Baoxian yanjiu 5, 18–24.Google Scholar
Zhu, Guangxi, and Jin, Dongri. 2012. “Zhengfu gongzuo baogao zhong de jixiao zipinggu – jiyu 2006–2010 nian shengji zhengfu gongzuo baogao de fenxi” (Performance self-assessment in GWRs – an analysis of 2006–2010 provincial GRWs). Gonggong xingzheng pinglun 3, 113–143.Google Scholar