ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the development and reform of the civil service in China from 1978, when the country adopted an open and reform policy and shifted the focus from class struggle to economic development. China has a long history of civil service, and its legacy left the country with some important challenges relating to selection, promotion, corruption, and performance evaluation. The chapter discusses many reforms that China has undertaken to transform the Chinese civil service system from a traditional cadre system to a more modern civil service. Chinese civil service reform stresses both accountability and efficiency, understood as accountability by the bureaucracy to serve the agreed-upon national goals of economic growth and development. The Civil Service Act in China includes four sets of positions: comprehensive management, professional technology, judge, and procurator series. The civil service training system of China builds on traditional cadre training experience and borrows practices of other countries.
