（二）地方政府改革是整个政府改革的大头。地方政府直接与企业接触，直接联系人民群众，市场主体和人民群众的权益也主要通过地方政府去实现、维护和发展。在整个政府体系中，地方政府作用十分重要，我国90%以上的公务员、85%左右的财政最终支出是在地方。尤其是基层政府，属于我们通常讲的“最后一公里”。政府机构改革能不能达到预期目的，职能转变能不能落实，很大程度上取决于地方政府。近来我们到地方调研或开座谈会，许多企业家认为，中央政府下放了许多权力，下一步还要看地方，如果地方政府改革不及时跟进，简政放权的效果就会大打折扣。我对他们说，中央政府下了决心，真正做到位，树立起标杆，地方政府就一定会按中央的要求去做。在当前情况下，要稳增长，简政放权是一个极为重要的手段。稳增长也是为了保就业。简政放权、取消和下放行政审批事项，激发市场活力，让企业、社会更有创造力，就可以带动更多的就业。如果上动下不动、头转身不转，政府职能转变和机构改革就可能变成“假改”、“虚晃一枪”。今年5月份以来，各地新一轮简政放权取得积极成效，但受地方和部门利益影响，也出现了一些“错放、空放、乱放”等现象。有的只下放复杂的、管理责任大的，“含金量”较高的仍然留在手中；有的放权有水分，动辄上百项，但“干货”不多。这里要强调的是，在改革过程中，各地要有全局观、大局观，不能打“小算盘”、“小九九”，更不允许“走过场”、“变戏法”，确保简政放权真正到位、见效。
The reform of local governments is part and parcel of overall government reform. Local governments directly interact with businesses and the public, and the rights and interests of market players and the public are realized, safeguarded and developed mainly through the local governments. The local governments have a very important role to play in the whole system of government, accounting for over 90 percent of civil servants and around 85 percent of eventual fiscal expenditures in China. It is particularly true for primary-level governments, which belong to the "last one kilometer", as we often say. Whether the reform of government institutions meets its goal as expected and whether government functions are genuinely transformed depends, to a large extent, on local governments. During our recent field trips and seminars in different localities, we have found that many entrepreneurs are looking at the local governments to deliver what the central government has already committed in power delegation. According to them, the effects of streamlining administration and delegating power at the central level will be greatly compromised if the local governments fail to proceed with corresponding reform in a timely fashion. I assured them that the central government has made up its mind, and that so long as the central government can set a good example of effectively doing what is required, the local governments will surely act to meet the requirements of the central government. Under the current circumstances, streamlining administration and delegating power is a very important means to stabilize growth. And to stabilize growth is also for the sake of ensuring employment. With administration streamlined and power delegated, some powers of administrative approval will be cancelled or delegated, which will energize the market and make the businesses and society more creative, thus generating more jobs. If only the head turns and the body stays put, the transformation of government functions and the institutional reform may become a "fake reform" or a "feinted attempt". Since last May, positive results have been achieved in the new round of efforts to streamline administration and delegate power in various localities. Yet, due to restraints of local and sectoral interests, there have been cases where powers have been wrongly or inappropriately delegated, or where only lip service has been made with no real action. In some places, only the complex powers that involve big responsibilities have been delegated, with the "more valuable power" still retained by the government. In others, there have been exaggerations. They easily claim to have delegated approval power for more than 100 items, yet few of them involve any significant power. I want to stress that in the course of reform, the local governments must take a holistic perspective and bear in mind the overall interests. They should not be narrowly preoccupied with their own local interests, still less are they allowed to play tricks or conduct reform as a mere formality. We must ensure that streamlining administration and delegating power must be effectively delivered and serve its purpose.

（三）地方政府改革对于保证中央政令畅通、发挥地方积极性十分重要。这次改革，要进一步处理好中央和地方的关系。一方面要确保中央的政令畅通。把不该管的放下去，这样就有更多精力把该管的更好地管起来，这有利于中央的政令畅通。另一方面要把地方政府的积极性充分调动起来。我国是单一制国家，实行中央统一领导、地方分级管理的体制。对中央的大政方针，地方必须统一步调，不折不扣地贯彻执行。同时还要看到，我国是一个大国，各地情况千差万别，发展很不平衡，必须从实际出发，发挥地方因地制宜管理经济社会的作用。我国经济社会发展到现在这个阶段，人民群众的需求越来越多，层次也不一样，政府服务事项也越来越多，也很复杂，各地要从实际出发，更加积极主动，创造性地开展工作。“上下同欲者胜”。大家心往一处想，劲往一处使，我们的事情就能办得更好。
The reform of local governments is important to ensure the effective implementation of central government decisions and mobilize the initiative of various localities. In this round of reform, we must further straighten out the relationship between the central and local governments. We need to ensure the effective implementation of central government decisions. The central government should delegate responsibilities that it is not supposed to undertake in order to focus on matters that fall within its mandate. This will make sure that the decisions of the central government are carried out effectively. At the same time, we should fully mobilize the initiative of local governments. China is a unitary state, which practices the system of unified central leadership, with specific responsibilities distributed across different levels of local government. Major policies adopted by the central government must be strictly implemented by all local governments. However, it is also important to recognize that China is a big country, with varying conditions and uneven development across different localities. We need to bear in mind this reality and leverage the role of local governments in managing economic and social development in a way consistent with their own local conditions. At this stage of economic and social development, we are seeing more demands and more differentiated needs from the people. As a result, the services to be provided by the government are also growing in scope and complexity. In line with their respective conditions on the ground, localities should be more proactive and creative in their work. As the saying goes, "Victory can only be achieved when the army share the same goal throughout the ranks". If we can think and work with one heart and one mind, we will be able to do an even better job.

二、地方政府职能转变要抓好“接、放、管”
"Taking over, releasing and undertaking" responsibilities is key to the transformation of local government functions.

大家可能注意到了，国务院的改革方案把“职能转变”放进了标题，这次关于地方政府改革的意见又把“职能转变”放到“机构改革”前面，就是为了突出强调职能转变。各方面普遍认为，政府改革的核心是职能转变，职能不转变，机构改革也达不到目的。这次地方政府职能转变要重点抓好“接、放、管”。接，就是把中央放给市场的权力接转放开，把中央下放给地方的职能接好管好；放，就是把本级该放的权力切实放下去、放到位；管，就是把地方该管的事情管起来、管到位。
You may have noticed that we have included "transform government functions" in the title of the reform proposal of the State Council. This time, in the opinions on the reform of local governments, we have put "transform government functions" ahead of "institutional reform" in order to underscore the importance of transforming government functions. It is widely believed that the key to government reform lies in changing its functions. Without functional changes, institutional reform would not be able to serve its purpose. In transforming the functions of local governments this time, the priority should be placed on "taking over, releasing and undertaking" responsibilities. For local governments, "taking over" means allowing the market to take over responsibilities released by the central government, and taking over and assuming the responsibilities delegated to them by the central government; "releasing" means delegating all powers that ought to be delegated to the lower authorities in real earnest; and "undertaking" means assuming full responsibilities for matters that fall within their purview.

（一）要接好放好中央下放的审批事项。中央明令取消的审批事项，要不折不扣地放给市场、放给社会，地方不能变相保留。为了使地方政府更有力有效、就近就便进行经济社会管理，中央要把相应的权力下放给地方。放给省一级的，省里要接好管好；放给市县的，省一级要及时下放，不截留，不梗阻，市县一级也要接好管好。最近新闻联播报道了“蛟龙号”载人深潜器的国家深海中心基地建设，这是国家投资项目，按原来的管理审批程序，有好几道，要盖几十个公章，至少要两年。现在中央把有关权力下放给地方政府，两个月就落地了。从这个例子看，下放权力就是解放生产力，就是提高效率。我们还要注意，下放给市场、社会的权力，要放就要真正放到位。现在有一些社会组织还是政府管理的机构，如果把权力放给这些行政化的社会组织，就可能还是在政府内部“转圈”，要切实防止这种现象。
Local governments should properly take over or further release as required approval power delegated by the central government. Approval items that are phased out by the central government must be fully released to the market and the society, and local governments should not retain such approval power in any disguised form. The central government should also delegate certain responsibilities to the local governments for them to conduct more robust and effective economic and social management by taking advantage of their close knowledge of local communities. Where power is delegated to the provincial level, provincial governments should exercise it properly. Where power is delegated to the municipal or county level, provincial governments should not try to retain or block it, but delegate it promptly. CCTV Primetime News recently ran a story about the establishment of the national deep-sea center for the Jiaolong manned submersible. This project is funded by the central government. In the past, a number of reviews were required for such projects and dozens of seals needed to be stamped, which would take at least two years. Now that the central government has delegated the power of approval to the local government, it only took two months for the project to be approved. This example shows that delegating power can help to unleash productive forces and raise efficiency. We should also make sure that whenever power is to be given to the market and society, it must be delegated fully. Some social organizations are still overseen by the government. If power is delegated to them, it may in the end stay in government hands. This situation must be averted.