Published by ChinaMNC · Luzhou

How Foreign Founders Can Access Sichuan Government Information: A Practical Guide

A guide for foreign founders on requesting and obtaining government information from the Sichuan Provincial People's Government and its General Office, based on the official public information disclosure guide.

Accessing Sichuan Government Information: What Foreign Founders Need to Know

For foreign entrepreneurs establishing or operating a company in Sichuan, access to official government information can be essential for compliance, planning, and understanding the regulatory environment. The Sichuan Provincial People's Government has published a guide explaining how the public—including foreign investors—can obtain government information. This article summarizes the key points for foreign founders, based on the official guide.

Purpose of the Guide

The guide is issued under the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Open Government Information (State Council Order No. 711). It aims to ensure that citizens, legal persons, and other organizations can lawfully obtain information from the Sichuan Provincial People's Government and its General Office, thereby enhancing transparency and supporting economic and social activities.

Proactive Disclosure

The government proactively discloses certain categories of information. This includes:

• Leadership and division of work of the provincial government, institutional setup, main responsibilities, and work rules.
• Provincial government regulations and normative documents issued by the provincial government and its General Office.
• Government work reports, important meetings, and information on leaders' attendance at major events.
• Economic and social development plans, special plans, regional plans, and related policies, as well as statistical information on economic and social development.
• Administrative licensing, administrative penalties, administrative coercion, and other external management service matters.
• Financial budgets and final accounts, government centralized procurement, and administrative fees.
• Approval and implementation of major construction projects.
• Major livelihood issues: policies and measures on poverty alleviation, education, healthcare, social security, employment promotion, and their implementation; emergency plans, early warning information, and response to public emergencies; supervision and inspection of environmental protection, public health, work safety, food and drug safety, and product quality.
• Personnel appointments and removals, and recruitment of civil servants.
• Other government information that should be proactively disclosed according to laws, regulations, and relevant state provisions.

Proactively disclosed information is made public within 20 working days from the date of formation or change, unless otherwise provided by laws or regulations.

Channels for Proactive Disclosure

Information is available through various channels:

• The Sichuan Provincial People's Government Gazette
• The Sichuan Provincial People's Government Portal Website
• Social media: "Sichuan Release" Sina Weibo, "Sichuan Release" WeChat public account, and "Sichuan Provincial People's Government Website" Toutiao account
• Provincial government press conferences
• Other media: radio, television, newspapers, etc.
• Additionally, information is available at the Sichuan Provincial Government Government Services and Public Resources Trading Service Center, the Sichuan Provincial Archives, and the Sichuan Provincial Library (information disclosure acceptance/reading venues).

Requesting Information (Application-Based Disclosure)

For information not proactively disclosed, citizens, legal persons, or other organizations (applicants) may apply to the Sichuan Provincial People's Government or its General Office. The General Office accepts applications and handles them according to the regulations. The Provincial Government Information Disclosure Office is the specific body responsible for handling information disclosure matters.

Step 1: Determine the Correct Agency

To ensure accurate and prompt access, applicants should first identify the appropriate agency. Applicants can visit the Sichuan Provincial People's Government Portal Website and click on "Institutional Functions" to learn about the main responsibilities and setup of provincial administrative agencies. Based on the type of information needed, applicants should submit their request to the corresponding agency through its designated channels. For example:

• For approval information on major construction projects or feasibility study reports, apply to the Development and Reform Commission.
• For information related to collective land expropriation, apply to the Natural Resources Department.
• For information on state-owned land house expropriation and compensation, or shantytown renovation, apply to the municipal or county-level government and its housing and urban-rural development department where the applicant is located.

Step 2: Submit an Application

The General Office accepts applications submitted in person, by mail, or online. The application process is as follows:

• In person: The agency has set up an acceptance point at the Provincial Government Services Center. Applicants can obtain the "Government Information Disclosure Application Form" (Application Form) on-site, fill it out, and submit it in person.
• By mail: Submit the Application Form along with a copy of a valid identity document.
• Online: Register as a user on the Sichuan Government Services Network as prompted, log in, select the application type, and enter the required information (e.g., name, ID number). Applicants can then track the progress online.

When applying, applicants should provide a clear description of the information needed, such as the name, document number, or other characteristics that facilitate retrieval. If the application content is unclear, the agency will provide guidance and may request supplementation within 7 working days.

Step 3: Processing and Reply

The agency will reply within 20 working days from receipt of the application, unless an extension is necessary. Extensions are possible with written notice, up to a maximum of 20 additional working days. The time required to consult third parties or other agencies is not counted in the processing period.

Possible outcomes include:

• If the information is disclosable, the agency will provide it or inform the applicant of the manner, channel, and time to obtain it.
• If the information is not within the agency's responsibility, the applicant will be informed, and if possible, the responsible agency's name and contact details will be provided.
• If the request is a repeat of a previous request for the same information, the agency will inform the applicant that no repeated processing will be done.
• For information such as business registration or real estate registration data, which is subject to special provisions in laws and administrative regulations, the applicant will be directed to follow those provisions.

If the number or frequency of requests明显 exceeds a reasonable range, the agency may ask for justification. If the justification is unreasonable, the request may not be processed; if reasonable but cannot be answered within the statutory period, a delayed reply may be arranged with notice.

The agency is not obligated to process or analyze existing information; it provides information as it is preserved. The format of provision will be determined based on the applicant's request and the actual situation. If providing in the requested format poses a risk to the information carrier or entails excessive costs, the information may be provided in electronic form or other appropriate ways, or the applicant may be arranged to inspect or copy it.

Information processing fees may be charged in accordance with relevant regulations.

Complaints and Remedies

If an applicant believes that their lawful rights and interests have been infringed in the information disclosure process, they may file a complaint or report with the higher-level administrative agency or the competent department for information disclosure, or apply for administrative reconsideration or initiate administrative litigation according to law.

Practical Tips for Foreign Founders

• Before submitting an application, check the proactive disclosure channels to see if the information is already available.
• Clearly identify the correct agency to avoid delays.
• Provide detailed descriptions of the information needed.
• Ensure proper identification is provided (e.g., passport copy for mail applications).
• Keep track of deadlines: the agency must respond within 20 working days, with possible extension.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.

For assistance with registering and operating a company in China, foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535.