Published by ChinaMNC · Daocheng

Accessing Government Information in Sichuan: A Guide for Foreign Founders

Practical guidance for foreign founders on how to obtain government information from the Sichuan Provincial People's Government and its General Office, including proactive disclosure and application procedures.

Accessing Government Information in Sichuan: A Guide for Foreign Founders

For foreign founders establishing or operating a company in Sichuan, understanding how to access government information is essential for compliance and informed decision-making. This guide summarizes the procedures for obtaining information from the Sichuan Provincial People's Government and its General Office, based on the official Government Information Disclosure Guide.

Proactive Disclosure: Information Available Without Application

The Sichuan Provincial Government proactively discloses a wide range of information in accordance with the Regulations on the Disclosure of Government Information (State Council Order No. 711). This information is made available through multiple channels and is updated regularly. Key categories include:

• Government structure and leadership: Provincial government leaders and their divisions of work, institutional setup, main responsibilities, and work rules.
• Regulations and normative documents: Provincial government rules and normative documents issued by the provincial government and its General Office.
• Work reports and meetings: Provincial government work reports, important meetings, and information on leaders' attendance at major official activities.
• Planning and statistics: National economic and social development plans, special plans, regional plans, related policies, and statistical information.
• Administrative matters: Administrative licensing, penalties, compulsory measures, and other external management services.
• Financial information: Fiscal budgets and final accounts, government centralized procurement, and administrative fees.
• Major construction projects: Approval and implementation status of major construction projects.
• Major livelihood issues: Policies and implementation related to poverty alleviation, education, healthcare, social security, and employment promotion; emergency plans, early warnings, and responses to public emergencies; and supervision and inspection of environmental protection, public health, work safety, food and drug safety, and product quality.
• Personnel matters: Personnel appointments and removals, and civil servant recruitment.
• Other information: As required by laws, regulations, and relevant national provisions.

These disclosures follow the principles of fairness, justice, legality, and convenience. The government continuously expands proactive disclosure in line with higher-level directives and local conditions.

Where to Find Proactively Disclosed Information

Foreign founders can access this information through several official channels:

• The Sichuan Provincial People's Government Gazette
• The Sichuan Provincial People's Government Portal Website
• Official social media accounts: "Sichuan Release" on Sina Weibo, "Sichuan Release" WeChat public account, and the "Sichuan Provincial People's Government Website" Toutiao account
• Provincial government press conferences
• Other media such as radio, television, and newspapers

Additionally, government information is available at the Sichuan Provincial Government Government Services and Public Resource Trading Service Center, the Sichuan Provincial Archives, and the Sichuan Provincial Library. These locations serve as information disclosure acceptance and reading venues.

Information in the proactive disclosure scope is made public within 20 working days from the date of formation or change, unless otherwise provided by laws or regulations.

Applying for Information: Procedures and Tips

If the information you need is not proactively disclosed, you can submit an application. The General Office of the Sichuan Provincial People's Government accepts applications for information held by the provincial government and its General Office. The Provincial Government Information Disclosure Office handles the specific matters.

Step 1: Identify the correct agency. To ensure a timely and accurate response, determine which agency holds the information. Visit the Sichuan Provincial People's Government Portal Website and check the "Institutional Functions" section to learn about provincial administrative agencies' main responsibilities and setups. Then, submit your application to the appropriate agency through its designated channels. For example:

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

Step 2: Choose a submission method. The General Office accepts applications submitted in person, by mail, or online. The processing follows a standard procedure.

• In person: The agency has an application acceptance point at the Provincial Government Services Center. You can obtain the "Government Information Disclosure Application Form" on-site, fill it out, and submit it in person.
• By mail: Send the completed application form along with a copy of your valid ID.
• Online: Register a user account on the Sichuan Government Services Website as prompted, log in, and submit your application online. Select the application type and enter your information (e.g., name, ID number) to track progress.

Step 3: Prepare your application. Before submitting, check the proactive disclosure channels to see if the information is already available. For matters involving petitions, complaints, reports, or suggestions, use dedicated channels such as the Governor's Mailbox, 12345 online message, or disciplinary inspection reporting.

Complete the application form, which is available at the acceptance point or downloadable from the provincial government portal. Photocopies are valid. For online applications, fill out the form electronically. When applying in person, present a valid ID; for mail applications, attach a copy of your ID; for online applications, complete identity verification on the Sichuan Government Services Website before submitting.

Describe the information you need clearly. It is recommended to provide the name, document number, or other characteristic descriptions that will help the agency locate the information.

If your application is unclear, the agency will provide guidance and may request supplementation within 7 working days from receipt. If you fail to supplement without justification, the application may be considered abandoned.

Processing Timeline and Responses

Upon receiving your application, the agency will respond within 20 working days, unless an extension is necessary. Extensions require approval from the head of the information disclosure office and written notice to you, with a maximum extension of 20 working days. Time spent consulting third parties or other agencies is not counted. If supplementation is needed, the response period starts from the date the supplemented application is received.

If your requests are excessively frequent or voluminous, the agency may ask for justification. If the justification is unreasonable, the application may be rejected. If reasonable but cannot be answered within the statutory period, the agency will set a reasonable delayed response period and notify you.

Possible responses include:

• Providing the information or informing you of the manner, channel, and time to obtain it.
• If the information is not held by the agency, informing you and, if known, providing the name and contact details of the responsible agency.
• If the request is repetitive, informing you that no repeated processing will be done.
• For information such as business registration or real estate registration data, which is governed by special laws and administrative regulations, informing you to follow those provisions.

The agency provides information as held and is not obliged to process or analyze existing information. The format of provision will be determined based on your request and the actual condition of the information; if the requested format poses risks to the carrier or entails excessive costs, alternative formats or on-site inspection may be arranged.

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

If you believe your lawful rights are infringed, you may complain or report to the higher-level administrative agency or the competent department for government information disclosure, or apply for administrative reconsideration or file an administrative lawsuit.

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