The government's emphasis on strengthening public services indicates an encouraging transformation of its function, says a signed article in Workers' Daily. An excerpt follows:

In the 11th Five-Year Guidelines (2006-10) submitted to the ongoing session of the National People's Congress, public services are for the first time defined inclusive of compulsory education, public health, social security, social relief, employment promotion, poverty alleviation, public security and disaster prevention.

And more financial resources will be shifted to these fields, as was unveiled in the development guideline. The unprecedented emphasis on public services suggests that the government has become fully aware of its functions.

Under market economic conditions, economic regulation and monitoring, social management and public services are main government functions.

However, for a long period people have remained unclear about what kind of public services the government should offer. Here at last is the explicit definition: Governments at all levels are required to fulfill their responsibilities.

With adjustments of its public service function, the government has also made financial input adjustment and set some priorities. It is clearly stipulated in the program that public finance will focus on rural compulsory education and public health, agricultural technological popularization, vocational education, employment, poverty reduction, disaster prevention, public security, energy and environment.

Such a financial distribution will undoubtedly ensure the fulfillment of the government's service function and help solve ordinary people's educational and medical difficulties.

Thus, clarifying the concept of public services and stressing government's responsibilities in this aspect will bear far-reaching significance.

(China Daily March 13, 2006)