Chenzhou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone (HTIDZ) is the most business dense area in Chenzhou, with more than 1,900 enterprises thriving on a land of 43 square kilometers.

A good government-business relationship in Chenzhou HTIDZ is of particular importance to promote Chenzhou’s economic development. Based on the reality of the development of China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone Chenzhou Area, Chenzhou HTIDZ is determined to develop a close and clean government-business relationship as an important task to further promote the full and strict governance. In April, 2021, Chenzhou HTIDZ issued the Positive and Negative Lists for Building a Close and Clean Government-Business Relationship, a code of conduct for government officials interacting with enterprises, which delineates the “bottom line” and “red line” of the government-business relationship.

On May 6, Deng Zhongtao, Deputy Director of Investment Promotion Bureau of Chenzhou HTIDZ, visited Hunan Grepow New Energy to track the progress of the plant acquisition. Earlier this year, he learned that the company intended to transfer its high-end lithium battery production line from Shenzhen to Chenzhou, but the existing plant could not meet the production demand.

Therefore, Deng Zhongtao asked around and then learned that an enterprise in the park had two unused plants. After reporting to the leaders of the Chenzhou HTIDZ Management Committee, he immediately arranged a meeting between these two enterprises. “At first, they asked me to be a witness,” Deng Zhongtao said, “but I was worried that people might mistakenly think I was making money from it.”

Right at this time, Chenzhou HTIDZ was planning to introduce the Positive and Negative Lists for Building a Close and Clean Government-Business Relationship. One of the items is to “encourage and support government agencies and civil servants to seek entrepreneurship, innovation and development for enterprises”, which dispelled Deng Zhongtao’s worries. In his witness, the two enterprises successfully signed a plant purchase agreement. “If not for the support of these officials, the plant purchase could not have advanced so quickly,” said Ji Tierong, Deputy General Manager of Grepow. Now Grepow has transferred the first payment for the plant purchase. Upon the installation of the equipment, the production can start immediately.

The promulgation of the Positive and Negative Lists for Building a Close and Clean Government-Business Relationship has undergone rigorous research and discussion. Zeng Yan, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee and Director of the Supervisory Committee of Chenzhou HTIDZ, found that under the high pressure on anti-corruption, some officials deliberately distanced themselves from enterprises or dared not to serve them, even failed to have normal interactions. The reason is that they were not clear about the boundaries of government-business relationship and were afraid of violating discipline. Therefore, on the one hand, those who do not perform their duties, and who are indolent, sloppy, or neglectful of their duties should be held accountable. On the other hand, officials should be encouraged to serve enterprises’ reform and innovation, performing with a strong work ethic, sense of responsibility, and enterprising spirit.

Therefore, the Positive and Negative Lists for Building a Close and Clean Government-Business Relationship includes both a positive list covering frequent field visits to enterprises, active participation in corporate activities, expansion of the industrial chain, standardized reception, timely relief of difficulties, as well as a clear negative list including not taking responsibility, setting obstacles, and taking bribes.