Officials and academics at the 2nd China-Europe Senior Forum on Government Management in Beijing yesterday said government should cooperate more closely with communities in providing services and increasing transparency.
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Lu Xueyi, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences professor, said the Chinese government has learned from Europe's experience?in cooperating with social organizations and bringing forth new concepts of social management, such as social services and voluntary groups.
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However, Lu said China should not adopt exactly the same model as Europe but explore new paths on the basis of its own conditions.
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Tang Tiehan, vice president of China National School of Administration (CNSA), said in his report on Tuesday that government should encourage social organizations' full role in providing services and hearing the needs of civil society.
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Government should hand over some of its public functions to society and establish cooperative partnerships to deal with public affairs effectively, said Tang.
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Tang said government should make its management more open, encourage citizens to participate in social management and give communities more autonomy.
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Neil Kinghan, director general of the UK deputy prime minister's office, said government can contract some public services with social organizations and that local government should work closely with fire fighting and environmental protection departments as well as voluntary groups.
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"Local strategic partnerships (LSPs) are needed. Much progress has been made in community safety, environment, education and employment in my country since LSPs were established." said Kinghan, adding that they can also ensure more transparency.
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More than 200 people from China and Europe are attending the three-day forum on how to innovate social management.
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It was co-sponsored by the CNSA and European Institute of Public Administration. The first was held in Beijing in June 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2005)