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The durability of governance reform: A two‐wave audit of notice and comment policymaking in China

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  • Steven J. Balla
  • Zhoudan Xie

Abstract

The notice and comment process, in which government organizations make public draft laws and regulations and solicit feedback on these proposals, is a prominent governance reform in contemporary China. This article examines the durability of notice and comment policymaking by conducting a pair of audits of the practices of dozens of central government ministries and provincial governments. There are a number of reasons to expect that it is difficult to sustain governance reforms in China. Nevertheless, the audits—which the authors carried out in 2014 and 2021—demonstrate that, subject to a number of constraints, notice and comment policymaking was routinely implemented by government organizations throughout the period under analysis. Although the notice and comment process is a durable governance reform, additional research is needed before it can be concluded that the procedure brings more than a veneer of transparency to Chinese policymaking.

Suggested Citation

  • Steven J. Balla & Zhoudan Xie, 2023. "The durability of governance reform: A two‐wave audit of notice and comment policymaking in China," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(2), pages 549-569, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:reggov:v:17:y:2023:i:2:p:549-569
    DOI: 10.1111/rego.12477
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    References listed on IDEAS

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