Results Matter October 2007
Toward a Results-Based Planning System—the Recent Experience and Approach
of the People’s Republic of China
Q&A with Xu Lin, Director General National Development and
Reform Commission, PRC
Why have Chinese leaders been engaging in results-based monitoring
and evaluation (M&E) system?
Different factors encouraged the leadership to promote results-based M&E
system. First of all, the resources and ecological endowments were going to
be a bottleneck to further development, and without significantly improving
sustainable development, the Chinese people, especially our next generations,
would suffer as a result of current development activities.
Secondly, the public became more aware of the development results with more
diversified demands. Thirdly, the representatives in the people’s congress
began to challenge the leadership of the government more, either on unsatisfactory
performance of the policy or five-year plan enforcement. All these pushed the
government and the leadership to make the decision that the People’s Republic
of China (PRC) should pursue a results-based M&E system.
Does the Chinese government really use the results-based M&E system?
The results-based M&E system in the PRC has been distinguished into two
categories: one that guides market activities; the other is compulsory, for
which the government should take full responsibility to realize. Such an M&E
system has resulted in some positive impact on guiding economic activity into
a results-based way.
For example, in the 11th five-year plan, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and
sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission reduction indicators are defined as compulsory
indicators and which have been distributed into annual targets. For big state
companies, they are required to sign contracts with the Government in reducing
pollution and energy consumption for each product they produce. The quotas of
COD and SO2 emission have also been allocated to all provincial governments.
By taking these measures, the five-year implementation system is moving to a
results-based mechanism. Local government officials are more serious than ever
in dealing with the issue of balances among economic growth and environment
protection. Positive results have already emerged.
How about the transparency system in implementing the results-based
approach?
The introduction of the results-based M&E system has helped strengthen the
accountability and improve the transparency of the Government’s work.
As I mentioned above, the monitoring information on the energy consumption per
unit gross domestic product (GDP) and the total COD and SO2 emission volume
during the first six months of the 11th FYP have been made public: none of the
levels have decreased as outlined in the Plan!
Such a level of transparency on Plan implementation is historically unprecedented
in the PRC. Publicity has stimulated open discussions among policy makers, experts,
and the media on causes of the initial failures and measures required to move
forward. The provincial governments, guided by signals and incentives from the
central government, have also started to take concrete, comprehensive measures
to ensure implementation.
What are the key lessons we can learned from the experience of the
PRC?
The government should have a strategic development plan with clear directions,
development priorities for different periods, and consistent budget allocations
in line with the strategic development plan.
Public participation is necessary to reach a common understanding about the
results and building up a political base for public acceptance for any policy
and reform measures that may be taken when carrying out the plan.
An appropriate M&E system is necessary for improving the effectiveness
of the development plan implementation, with indicators that could be measured
and clearly defined for the responsibility of the stakeholders.
International experience is necessary for a country which never had a results
based M&E system; therefore technical assistance from international experts
is helpful in providing support. But the international experience should be
transplanted into the country in association with the local conditions.
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