Published by ChinaMNC · Yuechi

A Foreign Founder’s Guide to Accessing Sichuan Government Information

Practical guidance for foreign founders on how to obtain government information from Sichuan Province, including proactive disclosure and formal requests, based on the official Sichuan government information disclosure guide.

Why Government Information Matters for Foreign Founders

When setting up or running a company in Sichuan, foreign founders often need official information about local regulations, approvals, and policies. The Sichuan Provincial People’s Government has published a guide explaining how the public—including foreign investors—can access government information. This article summarizes the key points for foreign founders, focusing on practical steps and channels.

Proactive Disclosure: Information Available Without Request

The government proactively publishes certain categories of information to ensure transparency and support economic activity. According to the guide, this includes:

• Leadership and structure: Provincial government leaders and their divisions of work, the setup of government agencies, main responsibilities, and work rules.
• Rules and normative documents: Provincial government regulations 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 key official activities.
• Planning and statistics: National economic and social development plans, special plans, regional plans and related policies, and statistical information on economic and social development.
• Administrative matters: Administrative licensing, penalties, compulsory measures, and other external management services.
• Financial information: Government budgets and final accounts, centralized government procurement, and administrative fees.
• Major projects: Approval and implementation status of major construction projects.
• 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; supervision and inspection of environmental protection, public health, work safety, food and drug safety, and product quality.
• Personnel matters: Provincial government personnel appointments and removals, and civil servant recruitment.
• Other information: As required by laws, regulations, rules, and relevant national provisions.

This information is made available through multiple channels:

• The Sichuan Provincial People’s Government Gazette.
• The official website of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government.
• Social media accounts such as “Sichuan Release” on Sina Weibo and WeChat, and the “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 reception and reading venues).

Information in the proactive disclosure scope is published within 20 working days from the date it is formed or changed, unless otherwise provided by laws or regulations.

Requesting Information: How to Apply

If the information you need is not proactively disclosed, you can file a request with the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government or its General Office. The following steps will help you navigate the process.

1. Identify the Correct Agency

To ensure a timely and accurate response, first determine which agency holds the information. Visit the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government portal website and click on “Institutional Functions” to learn about the main responsibilities and organizational setup of provincial administrative agencies. Then, based on the type of information you need, submit your request to the appropriate agency through its designated channel. For example:

• For approval information on major construction projects or feasibility study reports, apply to the Development and Reform Department.
• 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.

The General Office of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government accepts requests for information held by the provincial government and its General Office. The Provincial Government Information Disclosure Office handles the specific matters.

2. Choose a Submission Method

You can submit a request in three ways:

• In person: The agency has a reception point at the Provincial Government Services Center. You can obtain the “Government Information Disclosure Application Form” (the Application Form) on-site, fill it out, and submit it face-to-face.
• By mail: Send the completed Application Form along with a copy of your valid identification document.
• Online: Register a user account on the Sichuan Government Services Network as prompted, log in, and submit your application online. Select the application type and enter your information (such as name and ID number) to check the progress.

3. Tips for a Smooth Application

• Check proactive channels first: Before submitting a request, search the proactive disclosure channels mentioned above. If you cannot find the information, then apply.
• Use the correct form: The Application Form is available at the reception point and can be downloaded from the provincial government portal. Photocopies are valid. For online applications, fill it out directly on the website.
• Provide identification: For in-person applications, present a valid ID. For mail applications, attach a copy of your ID. For online applications, complete identity verification on the Sichuan Government Services Network before submitting.
• Be specific: Describe the information you need clearly. It is helpful to provide the name, document number, or other characteristic descriptions that will assist the agency in locating the information.
• Respond to requests for clarification: If your request is unclear, the agency will provide guidance and may ask you to supplement it within 7 working days from receipt, specifying what needs to be corrected and a reasonable deadline. If you fail to supplement without justification, the application may be considered abandoned.
• Separate other matters: For petitions, complaints, reports, consultations, or suggestions, use dedicated channels such as the Governor’s Mailbox, 12345 online message, or disciplinary reporting channels.

4. How Requests Are Processed

The agency will respond within 20 working days from receipt of the application, unless an extension is needed. Extensions require approval from the head of the information disclosure office and written notice to the applicant, 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.

Possible outcomes include:

• If the information can be disclosed, the agency will provide it or inform you of the manner, channel, and time to obtain it.
• If the information is not held by the agency, you will be informed with reasons; if the responsible agency can be identified, its name and contact details will be provided.
• If the request repeats a previous application for the same information, the agency will inform you that it will not process it again.
• For information such as business registration or real estate registration materials, where special provisions exist, you will be directed to follow those provisions.

If your requests are clearly excessive in number or frequency, the agency may ask for justification. If the justification is unreasonable, the request may not be processed. If reasonable but a response cannot be made within the statutory period, the agency will set a reasonable delayed response period and notify you.

The agency is not obliged to process or analyze existing information beyond providing it as held. The format of provision will be determined based on your request and the agency’s actual circumstances; if the requested format poses a risk to the information carrier or is too costly, electronic data or other appropriate formats may be used, or you may be arranged to inspect or copy the information on-site.

Information processing fees may apply in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Legal Remedies

If you believe your lawful rights have been infringed in the information disclosure process, you may complain or report to the higher-level administrative agency or the competent department for information disclosure, or apply for administrative reconsideration or file an administrative lawsuit according to law.

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