The Opening-Up of China's Public Service Under the WTO

Abstract

The competition mechanism as one aspect of China’s public service reform allows multiple services providers to produce and supply public service, which can break the government monopoly, improve the efficiency and quality of public service and meet the demand of citizens. Normally, the multiple services providers extend to enterprises with government authority, non-government organizations and a few private enterprises. However, this paper argues that the competition mechanism reform shall also permit foreign services providers to supply public service on some specific areas. The impact of allowing foreign providers on public service is subject to a political debate, but from a legal perspective this paper shows that it is legal to permit foreign providers on specific public services according to China’s commitments to the WTO.