On Sunday the Communist Party of China (CPC) General Office
published an official circular, co-issued by the Department of
Organization of the CPC and the Party Committee of the State
Council Commission for Supervision and Management of State-owned
Properties.
It called for strengthening CPC organization within state-owned
enterprises (SOEs), particularly those owned and administered
directly by central government.
The document urged SOEs to reinforce the role of Party
organizations and push forward managerial reforms.
It described them as the pillar of the economy and central
government-owned enterprises in particular as playing a leading
role in the state economy.
"To bring the role of state-owned companies, especially central
government-controlled ones, into full play is a must for adhering
to and improving the fundamental socialist economic system,
developing advanced productivity, increasing integrated national
strength, and consolidating the Party's ruling status," the
circular said.
It puts forward a guiding ideology, general goal and major tasks
for strengthening the Party within SOEs so as to push forward
reforms in organization, technology and management.
There are now 186 centrally controlled enterprises. They
constitute a significant part of the state economy, and their
management is closely monitored and controlled by central
authorities.
Greater correspondence between SOE and Party officials is being
encouraged: Party committee members may hold positions on the board
of directors, board of supervisors or managerial board, while board
members who are already Party members can join Party
committees.
If qualified, the chairperson of the board of directors and the
secretary of the Party committee in a state company could be the
same person. But in principle, the chairperson of the board and the
general manager should be two different people.
The role of Party committees in SOEs is to set criteria for
selecting managerial personnel, strictly checking candidates,
improving assessment mechanisms, and strengthening supervision.
The circular said that Party organizations should be made more
efficient and the fight against corruption enhanced.
It also said that staff should be encouraged to play an active
role in the democratic management of enterprises, and their legal
rights should be safeguarded.
(China Daily January 24, 2005)?