Chinese President Xi Jinping recently urged a new type of government-business relations characterized by sincerity and honesty. NPC deputies and political advisors attending the ongoing two sessions believed that the new definition will help rectify some problematic official-businessman relations.

President Xi elaborated on the connotation of the two words at a panel discussion of political advisors from the China Democratic National Construction Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce during the 4th Session of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

According to Xi, sincerity means that government officials should maintain magnanimous contacts with private business owners, and help them solve practical problems. Meanwhile non-public entrepreneurs are obligated to offer their honest opinions when communicating with government officials.

Honesty refers to the fact that government officials need to be aboveboard and ethical to stamp out excessive greed. Abuse of power is strictly prohibited. Business owners should always abide by the law and never collude with government officials.

Government-business relations have always been a sensitive topic given that recent years have seen several backroom deals between officials and business people.

Deputies hailed the new definition given by Xi, believing that the new definition will provide guidance for the government and businesses in dealing with their ties. Xi previously urged aboveboard and legitimate relations between officials and businessmen on many occasions, criticizing collusion.

China has undertaken multiple actions to build the new type of government-business relations since the 18th Communist Party of China National Congress. For example, serving Party or government officials are not allowed to hold positions in enterprises. In the past two years, the Organization Department of CPC Central Committee has removed 63,000 officials from their company positions.

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate also issued documents recently to investigate duty crimes that violated the legitimate rights of non-public enterprises.

Analysts also predicted that as Xi proposed the new definition, coupled with detailed regulations, those problematic official-businessman relations will be rectified. As a result, government officials will use their power under the rule of law to serve the people, and businessmen will not depend on connections as called guanxi when doing business.