The dynamics of policy change in China

Abstract

Policy change is an important phenomenon of China's politics. The government adopts policies to address problems, supply services and control the society. Studying policy change helps understand the mechanism of policy making as well as the governance and regime resilience of China. It shows how Chinese articulate concerns and bring them to the attention of decision makers and the ways in which decision makers receive feedback and information about existing policies and problems. This paper traces the process of three policy reforms, the Rural Cooperative Medical System (1982-2002), the urban demolition policy (2003-2009) and the national dairy product safety standard (2008-2009). This research particularly focuses on agenda setting of policy reforms. It aims to explain how the decision to modify the existing policy is made under China's political structure and environment. The study finds the actors who influence the perceptions of decision makers and priorities of governmental agendas, the access they have and the factors that facilitate or impede policy change. The findings suggest that apart from conventional wisdom on agenda setting dynamics of authoritarian regimes, China's governmental agenda is responsive to the problems and concerns rising from the society. A variety of actors inside and outside the state such as bureaucrats, experts, media, public and international organizations, engage policy debate and problem definition, and thus influence agenda setting. Elite advocacy driven by senior officials, focusing events and heightened media and public attention significantly increase issue salience to decision makers and therefore appear to be the most effective dynamics to influence the priorities of decision makers on agendas. The participation and influence of these actors show that the process of agenda setting in China is more permeable and pluralistic than before. However, the research also finds that due to institutional restrictions, regular Chinese have difficulties articulating their interests collectively and persistently. Their influences are also affected by the political capacities which vary from population to population. The current access on which most outside actors rely is not formal, institutionalized, reliable and sustainable. The study depicts the process of agenda setting and builds a framework to explain policy change dynamics and state-society relation during this process. It argues that the responsiveness of governmental agenda and the increasing permeability of policy process in China provide an explanation for the regime resilience and adaptability.