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Tianjin Binhai New Area: A Case Study of Multi-Level Streams Model of Chinese Decision-Making

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Abstract

The authors develop a new multi-level streams model in order to explain the Chinese decision-making process with regards to the top-down allocation of resources and administrative reforms. Using this policy model, the 2005 decision to upgrade the Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA) to the national level can be regarded as a relatively rational choice with a series of interaction of political processes among the elites at the central and local levels such as the local officials and social elites, and central leaders. However, in the administrative system of economic development, there are disagreements and conflicts among different parts within and outside the TBNA. The central and the Tianjin governments are now trying to coordinate the relationship among local governments within the Circum-Bohai Region and within the TBNA through structural reform and personnel reshuffling.

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Notes

  1. In UK, scholars have developed a similar two-level model regarding policy implementation, named “Big-Little Windows”. [27] Exworthy and Powell argue that implementation needs to incorporate the ‘little windows’ at local level as well as the ‘big’ windows at national level.

  2. Those explanations are concluded from the interviews and discussions between the authors and officials of the Tianjin local government.

  3. Interview with an expert on regional development in Tianjin.

  4. Li Shenglin was Mayor of Tianjin between 1998 to 2002; he has been serving as Minister of Ministry of Communications of China from 2005. Profile of Li Shenglin (http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2006–03–05/17079270322.shtml; assessed on 15 December 2007)

  5. Profile of Chen Zhifeng (http://www.tj.xinhuanet.com/zfwq/2006–03/22/content_6542985.htm; assessed on 15 December 2007).

  6. Profile of Pi Qiansheng (http://www.tj.xinhuanet.com/zfwq/2006–02/24/content_6314286.htm; assessed on 15 December 2007).

  7. “Extension organ” of the government are the administrative organizations set up by local government to manage one certain administrative affair in several administrative districts or all affairs in one certain administrative district. They have no people’s congress and political consultative conference.

  8. Interview with an expert who used to be a researcher of an official policy research institute of Dalian.

  9. Profile of Zhang Gaoli, (http://news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2002–02/25/content_288791.htm; assessed on 15 December 2007).

  10. Profile of Li Jianguo, (http://news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2002–03/05/content_300918.htm; assessed on 15 December 2007).

  11. For example, these structural reform and personnel arrangement have yet not solved the problem that the administrative units within the TBNA still have administrative channels to Tianjin municipal government skipping the leadership of The Administration Committee of TBNA.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Professor John Wong, Dr. Yang Mu, and Dr. Crison Shiuh-Shen Chien for their helpful comments, the anonymous reviewers for their advice in refining this article, and Jessica Loon’s editorial assistance. This research was sponsored by Management Science Program of National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (70673042).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zhou Enlai School of Government, Naikai University, The 5th floor, Fansun Building, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, 300071

    Xufeng Zhu & Bing Sun

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  1. Xufeng Zhu
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  2. Bing Sun
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Correspondence to Xufeng Zhu.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 2 The CCP and government leaders in the circum-bohai region
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Zhu, X., Sun, B. Tianjin Binhai New Area: A Case Study of Multi-Level Streams Model of Chinese Decision-Making. J OF CHIN POLIT SCI 14, 191–211 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11366-009-9048-8

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