Finance Minister Liu on Taxation System Reform in China

The new taxation system has beenoperated smoothly and its positiveresults have become evident since Chinacarried out the reform of the taxation systemin 1994.This was said by Mr.Liu Zhongli,Finance Minister and Director-General ofthe State Administration of Taxation at apress conference recently.The new taxationsystem brought RMB100 billion more to theTreasury in 1994,and the figure is expectedto be bigger in 1995,he disclosed. The minister said that the state hasadopted an appropriately tight financial

IPSAS and Accounting Systems in the Italian Public Administrations： Expected Changes and Implementation Scenarios

This paper proposes to identify the main features of a possible implementation path of the International Public Sector Accounting Standard （IPSAS） standards within the Italian local public administration. In perspective, local Public Administrations （PA） may represent the reference target for the introduction of IPSAS standards but a direct application in the short-run can hardly be imagined in the Italian context. According to the CFOs of medium-small Municipalities in the Lazio Region, the IPSAS enforcement strategy swings between the ＂forced＂ model and the ＂spontaneous＂ model. The application of IPSAS standards to Italian PAs depends on specific law provisions at all institutional levels and requires a process of implementation based on a bottom-up model ＂governed by the center＂.

Empirical research on the SMEs＇ credit-guarantee in China

After the authors' thorough study of the experiments of other countries and regions, it is posed that credit-guarantee is the key for solving the problem of the difficulties of SMEs' financing.Based on two surveys and interviews with 57 SMEs and some commercial banks' staff, this study on the practice and implement action of SMEs' credit-guarantee revealed some problems existing in the practical process. A series of policy suggestions are given for improving the SMEs' credit-guarantee in China.

A Comparative Analysis of the Old Medical Structure and the ACO Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia

This article explores the progress of the healthcare sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the past two decades. Through continuous coordination and efforts to improve the quality and quantity of health services, the government has significantly increased the availability of health facilities across the nation. This steady growth has allowed the country to maintain an upward trajectory in healthcare sector development in comparison to other countries. The Saudi Arabian government is preparing to implement Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) as part of their “Vision 2030.” By aligning with the goals of this visionary roadmap, the government aims to address the challenges faced by the existing healthcare system under the Ministry of Health (MOH). This strategic move is expected to transform the healthcare sector, positioning Saudi Arabia at par with its international counterparts and bolstering its economic competitiveness. This article highlights the historical context of Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system, and compares it with the forthcoming ACO implementation under “Vision 2030.” This information provides valuable insights into the trajectory of the country’s healthcare landscape and the potential impact of ACOs in shaping the Kingdom’s future in healthcare and economic development overall.

Rejuvenating Northeastern Area and Reforming the System of Investing and Financing

The system of investing and financing in northeastern area has the character of planned economy. Project conducting is our main strategy in any large-scale area rejuvenating plan, which has been proved lack of sustainable development. This paper proposes some suggestion to reform the system of investing and financing.

The political economy of results-based financing:the experience of the health system in Zimbabwe

Background:Since 2000,results based financing(RBF)has proliferated in health sectors in Africa in particular,including in fragile and conflict affected settings(FCAS)and there is a growing but still contested literature about its relevance and effectiveness.Less examined are the political economy factors behind the adoption of the RBF policy,as well as the shifts in influence and resources which RBF may bring about.In this article,we examine these two topics,focusing on Zimbabwe,which has rolled out RBF nationwide in the health system since 2011,with external support.Methods:The study uses an adapted political economy framework,integrating data from 40 semi-structured interviews with local,national and international experts in 2018 and thematic analysis of 60 policy documents covering the decade between 2008 and 2018.Results:Our findings highlight the role of donors in initiating the RBF policy,but also how the Zimbabwe health system was able to adapt the model to suit its particular circumstances-seeking to maintain a systemic approach,and avoiding fragmentation.Although Zimbabwe was highly resource dependent after the political-economic crisis of the 2000s,it retained managerial and professional capacity,which distinguishes it from many other FCAS settings.This active adaptation has engendered national ownership over time,despite initial resistance to the RBF model and despite the complexity of RBF,which creates dependence on external technical support.Adoption was also aided by ideological retro-fitting into an earlier government performance management policy.The main beneficiaries of RBF were frontline providers,who gained small but critical additional resources,but subject to high degrees of control and sanctions.Conclusions:This study highlights resource-seeking motivations for adopting RBF in some low and middle income settings,especially fragile ones,but also the potential for local health system actors to shape and adapt RBF to suit their needs in some circumstances.This means less structural disruption in the health system and it increases the likelihood of an integrated approach and sustainability.We highlight the mix of autonomy and control which RBF can bring for frontline providers and argue for clearer understanding of the role that RBF commonly plays in these settings.