Press Conference on the Legislative Background and Content of the Regulations of Shandong Province on Rural Highways

[9:09:26, November 28, 2008] The press conference was chaired by Huang Zecun, director of the International Communication Office of the CPC Shandong Provincial Party Committee and of the Information Office of Shandong Provincial People’s Government.

[9:34:15, November 28, 2008] Huang Zecun: Good morning, friends from the press, ladies and gentlemen.

[9:34:52, November 28, 2008] Huang Zecun: On September 25, 2008, the sixth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th Shandong Provincial People`s Congress discussed and passed the Regulations of Shandong Province on Rural Highways and the regulations will come into effect from December 1, 2008. Today, we hold a provincial government press conference and have invited Mr. Gao Hongtao, deputy director and spokesman of the Provincial Department of Communications, Mr. Li Hongxiu, head of the Planning and Capital Construction Section of the Provincial Department of Communications, and Mr. Wang Songgen, deputy director of the Highway Bureau of the Provincial Department of Communications, to give us a briefing on the legislative background, the legislative process, and main content of the regulations and answer journalists’ questions related to the regulations.

[9:35:40, November 28, 2008] Huang Zecun: Next, Mr. Gao Hongtao will give a briefing on the Regulations of Shandong Province on Rural Highways.

[9:36:17, November 28, 2008]Gao Hongtao: Good morning, friends from the media. Now I will give you a briefing on the legislative background, the legislative process, and main content of the Regulations of Shandong Province on Rural Highways and answer journalists’ questions related to the regulations (hereinafter referred to as the regulations).

 [9:36:35, November 28, 2008] Gao Hongtao: 1. The legislative background of the Regulations of Shandong Province on Rural Highways
Gao Hongtao: Thirty years since the reform and opening-up, historic profound changes have taken place in Shandong communications. By 2007, the whole province had invested a total of 37.6 billion yuan, newly built and transformed rural highway amounted to 108,000 kilometers, the rural highway traffic mileage reached 186,000 km, and 94.3 percent of the administrative villages are accessible by asphalt roads, which basically realized the aim of communication with every village by asphalt roads. That fundamentally changed the state of rural communications, providing a good communications guarantee for rural economic and social development and the building of new socialist countryside.

[9:38:03, November 28, 2008] Gao Hongtao: However, with the continuous increase of the rural highway traffic mileage and the rapid development of rural communications, there have been some problems in the construction, maintenance, and management of rural highways, These problems urgently need to be defined, regulated and solved by legislation.

[9:38:20, November 28, 2008] Gao Hongtao: 2. The legislative process of the Regulations of Shandong Province on Rural Highways

[9:38:48, November 28, 2008] Gao Hongtao: The State and the provincial government pay much attention to the construction, management and maintenance of rural highways and have issued a series of policy measures in recent years. In 2005, the General Office of the State Council issued the Reform Program for the System of the Management and Maintenance of Rural Highways. In 2006, our provincial government issued Measures of Shandong Province for the Management and Maintenance of Rural Highways and the Provincial Department of Communications developed rules for the implementation of the measures. On September 25, 2008, the session discussed and passed the Regulations of Shandong Province on Rural Highways.

[9:42:10, November 28, 2008] Gao Hongtao: 3. The main content of the Regulations of Shandong Province on Rural Highways

[9:42:20, November 28, 2008] Gao Hongtao: The regulations are composed of seven chapters and 53 articles, which define rights and obligatory norms, and specify the related legal responsibility in terms of the division of responsibilities, planning and construction, maintenance and management, the collection and management of funds, and road management. The main content is as follows. First, the responsibilities of management are specified. The regulations stipulate that county-level people`s governments are responsible entities within their administrative areas for the planning, construction, maintenance, management of rural highways. Within their scope of official duty laid down by the county-level governments, township people`s governments are responsible for the construction and maintenance of township roads and village roads. The departments in charge of communications at the provincial and city levels are in charge of the supervision and guidance of the planning, construction, maintenance, and management of rural highways within their administrative areas. County-level departments in charge of communications are responsible for the rural highway work within their administrative areas. The related departments of people’s government above the county level perform their rural highway related duties in accordance with division of responsibilities.

[9:43:16, November 28, 2008] Gao Hongtao: Second, the behaviors of planning, construction, maintenance, and management are regulated. The regulations make definite requirements for the planning making, construction standards, design and construction, and project acceptance of rural highways.

[9:44:42, November 28, 2008] Gao Hongtao: Third, stable financial sources are established. The regulations stipulate that people’s governments at all levels should establish fund-raising mechanisms with stress on government investment supplemented by multi-channel collection, and with the participation of the whole community.

[9:45:14, November 28, 2008] Gao Hongtao: At the same time, people`s governments above the county level are required to include in their budgets funds for the maintenance of rural highways. The regulations stipulate that the township people`s governments should make the necessary financial arrangements for the daily maintenance of the township and village roads. In addition, the regulations also provide for some market-oriented fund-raising measures to encourage units and individuals to make donations.

[9:45:36, November 28, 2008]Gao Hongtao: Fourth, measures for the protection of rural highways are perfected. The regulations specify that county-level departments in charge of communications are the entities for the management of rural highways within their administrative areas, and township people’s governments, villagers committees and other appointed maintenance organizations and individuals should assist in the protection of rural highways.

[9:46:51, November 28, 2008]Gao Hongtao: Requirements are also made for controlling construction within rural highway areas, road-related projects, road safety, and road protection.

[9:47:24, November 28, 2008] Gao Hongtao: Thank you all!

[10:05:52, November 28, 2008] Huang Zecun: Today`s news conference is over. Thank you!