Jiangsu streamlines administrative approval work in response to epidemic

Faced with the threat of the COVID-19 epidemic, the judicial administrative system of East China's Jiangsu province took early steps to change its protocol for administrative approval work, efficiently handling about 700 licensing matters without receiving one single complaint during February and March.

Take services online

In order to block the human-to-human transmission of the virus, judicial bureaus across the province have all put in place a no-physical-contact rule that requires online processing of administrative approval matters.

Authorities quickly publicized their contacts, approval procedures and models as well as the websites for submitting applications, calling on the public to handle their business online.

Applicants can submit all the needed materials on those websites where authorities at various levels will conduct online review. They can also transmit the digital version of their photos to the province's Department of Justice which will print them out.

Considerate services

The province's judicial administrative authorities have taken a variety of measures to ensure the quality of their services, including providing customized services, opening green channels, streamlining approval procedures, designating full-time phone operators and offering online consultations.

In one case, an employee of the province's judicial department, who lives near the judicial bureau of Nanjing, the capital city, was affectionately called "special courier" for often helping the bureau transfer documents to the department. 

In the city of Yangzhou, the local judicial bureau has been following up every administrative approval matter, offering real-time consultations to applicants on QQ, a social messaging software.

Earn respect

The authorities' premium services have earned them praise and respect from the public as indicated by a remark left by an applicant on the comments book of the province's judicial department: "good attitude! Very efficient!"

In the city of Lianyungang, a lawyer, who worried that the epidemic would affect the efficiency of the administrative approval work, was soon reassured after the authority spelt out the procedure in a phone call.

A staffer at a law firm in the city of Taizhou even sent a thankful text message to the administrative approval division of the local judicial bureau, saying that "despite breaks caused by the epidemic, there is no disruption to your services! You did a really great job!"