Rereading Central-local Relations in China: the Fundamentals and Premise?

Abstract

Scholars both Chinese and foreign were, are, and will be studying central-local relations in China, but China still functions with problems. This paper reviews central-local relations in China and reveals that scholars have mistakenly named “central-local relations” when the proper classification is political and economic. Meanwhile, this paper shows that relations between the center and localities function like federalism with regard to the economy yet as a unitary state politicically. So, scholars study political and economic relations separately, and there will be two types of measures for central-local relations. Since the birth of the People’s Republic of China, scholars have sought to make central-local relations in China function well,, but this goal is an uphill climb in a country with many difficulties. Thus, researching this theme never stops. In the long history of research, there are two different periods to discern, one is before the time of informing and opening China, the other is after. Consequently, research gathered at each time are different. However, the problem is that both cannot have given effective measures making central-local relations working well. Therefore, scholars must rethink and re-realize the research to discover the problems inherent in the research and how to resolve and avoid it. This paper tells us several important things:1.What are central-local relations in China? This basic question was unfortunately ignored by many scholars, especially after reforming and opening. This paper reinterprets what comprises central-local relations in China and identifies its qualities for the reader.2.What is the situation of researching central-local relations in China? There are two main and different perspectives researching this theme: “local” and “overseas.” Scholars of the local school clearly realized differences between China and western countries and tired to find a countermeasure. Conversely. scholars of the overseas school pointed out that we must have learned from the federalism-oriented western countries of federalism. the local nor overseas perspectives are completely correct. The key is which can interpret and solve problems of central-local relations in China.3.What are measures for us? For us, giving measures is much more important than just defining problems.Thus, we must seek new research methods that are suitable for actuality of China.