APPENDIX C
Great Britain—China Centre Economic
Reform Projects
MINISTRY OF
LABOUR AND
SOCIAL SECURITY
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MOLSS)
has the task of adopting comprehensive social security reforms
and the ongoing exchange programme with the GBCC provides a useful
source of information to assist this process. Delegations to the
UK comprise representatives from the Ministry and from provincial
social security bureaux, while the seminars in Beijing provide
an opportunity to bring together decision-makers from MOLSS and
other departments that have a key role in the development of a
social security framework. During 1994 and 1995 the Centre organised
six month work placements for four junior ministry officials to
examine employment issues and labour relations. Since 1996 the
Centre has been co-ordinating two-three projects a year with MOLSS,
examples of which follow. These exchanges are funded by GBCC grant-in-air.
Unemployment Insurance (1996-1997)
The GBCC organised a three-staged programme
with the Ministry looking at unemployment insurance in the UK.
The first stage was a three-day seminar in Beijing in 1996, given
by academics from LSE, looking at policy and the overall workings
of the unemployment insurance system. The second stage was a 10
day study visit to the UK in February 1997, which included meetings
with the DSS, DFEE, the Employment Service, and visits to regional
benefits offices. Also in 1997 GBCC arranged for three officials
from the Ministry to take part in a three-month work placement
scheme, which gave them a detailed understanding of the policy
and practice of the unemployment system.
Labour Relations and Employment Law (1997-1998)
To assist the process of re-drafting the Labour
Contract Act, the Collective Contract Act and the Labour Dispute
Act, the Ministry requested three visits to examine the relevant
legislation and procedures in the UK. A delegation visited in
September 1997 to look at labour dispute resolution and to examine
the role of the government, trade unions and employers' organisations
in the harmonisation of labour relations. In 1998 two delegations
visited to study labour contract law. The delegates examined the
main content and provisions of labour contract legislation and
its scope and implementation.
Pensions and Social Security Legislation (1999)
In March 1999 the UK Government Actuary, the
Head of Research from the National Association of Pension Funds
and the Head of the Pensions Unit at Linklaters & Alliance
ran a three-day seminar in Beijing. The seminar covered aspects
of state, company and personal pension provision, concentrating
on subjects that MOLSS had identified. The Ministry subsequently
sent a delegation of four officials to the UK for one month in
September 1999 for extensive discussions on government policy,
laws and regulations as well as practical issues affecting pensions.
A second delegation came on a 10-day visit in December to study
how to devise a comprehensive social security legislative framework.
A substantial part of this visit was concentrated on law enforcement
and regulation relating to old-age pensions.
Medical Insurance (2000)
The Ministry will send a delegation to the UK
in May 2000 to examine funding of the British healthcare system,
the legislative framework and method for collection of National
Insurance contributions and the provision of private medical insurance.
Key areas of interest that are identified during this initial
visit will be explored in greater detail at a follow-up seminar
to be held in Beijing in July 2000.
OTHER RELATED
EXCHANGES (1998-2000)
Seminar on the Reform of State-Owner Enterprises:
UK and Chinese Experience October 1998, Beijing
This seminar was arranged in response to a suggestion
made by Professor Liu Ji, Vice-President of the Chinese Academy
of Social Sciences (CASS), during a visit to the UK in November
1997. The organisers of the event were the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office, the British Embassy in Beijing and the Great Britain-China
Centre. The purpose of the seminar was to highlight British and
other countries' experience with reform of state-owned enterprises
and to contribute to Chinese current thinking on economic reform.
The audience was high-level Chinese political and economic decision-makers,
enterprise managers and academics, many of whom are now working
with DFID on enterprise reform.
Funding provided by DFID (85 per cent) and DTI
(15 per cent).
Study Visit on the Education and Training of Trade
Union Officials March 2000, London
A delegation of seven representatives from the
China Labour Collage, affiliated educational institutions and
the All China Federation of Trade Unions visited the UK to learn
about recent reforms in the training of officials and about advanced
vocational training structures. This collaboration took a significant
amount of time to establish in what is an extremely sensitive
area—trade union relations—for China. The ACFTU is
still not recognised by the International Trade Union body and
therefore exchange such as this clearly opens the door to internationally
accepted standards and practices.
Funding provided by the Human Rights Project
Fund, FCO.
Seminar on the Legal Protection of Women's Employment
Rights April 2000, Shanghai
The Centre ran a three-day seminar at Fudan
University in Shanghai to discuss and exchange the practical experiences
and research work of officials and academics working in the area
of women's employment, awareness of women's employment rights
and the legal protection of those rights. The audience was drawn
from the relevant Ministries, academic institutes, and women's
NGO's in Shanghai and other provinces. This seminar was an opportunity
to widen the debate on women's employment rights to include a
comparison with the situation in Britain and to benefit from the
dialogue with British experts.
Funding provided by the Human Rights Project
Fund, FCO.
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