Shenzhen will streamline government institutions by more than 30 percent by the end of October, officially launching China's first administrative structural reform which is being called an experiment in "the separation of powers."
The reform, unveiled at a government meeting chaired by Party chief Liu Yupu on Friday, will separate the functions of the Shenzhen government into three areas - decision making, execution and supervision.
The changes were listed as a top priority in an overall comprehensive reform program for Shenzhen, which was approved by the State Council in May.
The approval means Shenzhen is the country's third overall reform pilot zone after the Binhai New Area in Tianjin and the Pudong New Area in Shanghai.
Administrative reform is considered the most challenging and most important aspect of the ambitious program. If successful, it could herald a nationwide reform of the political system.
The plan is intended to streamline an overlapping array of government agencies, with 46 departments to be incorporated into 31. The reshuffle excluded seven departments at bureau level - public security, education, civil affairs, justice, auditing, checkpoints and Taiwan affairs.
