Anti-monopoly countdown

BEIJING, May 30 -- Authorities should set up a
timer, like the one they did for the Olympics, to countdown the introduction of
private investments into State-controlled industries to ensure the anti-monopoly
policy is implemented, says an article in China Business News.

Excerpt: The State Council formulated the Guideline on Deepening the Economic Reform in 2009 on May 25. In the guideline, the reform of State-controlled
industries is listed as an independent item. It suggests for the first time ways
to widen the areas and channels of private investments, and assigns relevant
authorities to quickly work out policies to encourage private investments to be
introduced into some vital State-controlled areas, like petrol, railway,
electricity, telecom and public facilities.

A seesaw battle has long continued between
State-owned and private investments. The lack of private investments in
State-controlled industries is seriously handicapping the development of
non-public sectors of the economy.

In history, the idea of inducting private investments
into State-controlled areas has stepped on a stage of blueprint a few times, yet
always fades as a flash in the pan.

Although the government encourages absorbing private
investments, it is still at guard against the potential threat and even
publicized self-contradictory policies to protect the State-owned status of
these vital industries.

This time, people are expecting to see the break of a
new dawn. Actually, in order to make true the involvement of private capital
into State-owned industries and eliminate the non-public sectors' dilemma,
authorities should implement detailed regulations and revise those laws
conflicting with anti-monopoly policies.

Better still, the practice could be counted down,
just like the Olympic Games, to schedule detailed assignments and ensure public
policies are carried out.

(Source: China Daily)