Recently, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council have issued the Implementing Measures on the Responsibility System for Compliant Letters and Visits (the "Measures") which shall take into effect as of October 8, 2016.
The Measures are comprised of five chapters with a total of 19 articles, covering contents of responsibilities, supervision and examination, responsibility investigation and others. The Measures put forward that the Party and government organs at all levels shall make decisions in a scientific and democratic way and perform their duties according to law to prevent and reduce the number of conflicts or disputes resulting in compliant letters or visits at the root; any matters for which a compliant is made shall be handled in a timely and appropriate manner if it falls within the scope of functions and powers of the department concerned. Besides, the Measures emphasize that the Party and government organs at all levels shall incorporate work with regard to compliant letters and visits into the scope of supervision and inspection, and organize to carry out the special supervision and inspection at least once a year. In case of any of six circumstances, such as "compliant letters and visits are generated and lead to serious consequences due to inappropriate decisions made or dereliction of duties that infringe the rights and interests of the mass", persons concerned in such organs shall be hold liable. If they are suspected of violating laws or committing a crime, they shall be handled according to applicable laws and regulations of the State.