Guangzhou municipal pricing bureau has said it will redouble its efforts to make the price of administrative services and commodities more acceptable to its citizens.

Among its measures is a resolution to keep applications for service and commodity price rises under strict control.

Lan Lan, an official with the bureau, said that except for charges for sewage disposal and those items under the pricing manipulations of either the State or Guangdong Province, the bureau will, in principle, not allow any other services or commodities to increase their prices.

"The measures are intended to protect the interests of Guangzhou citizens, especially those on low incomes," she said. "When we consider any price-rise application we will first take into consideration how best to protect the interests of the least well-off."

Lan said the pricing bureau will seek to reduce or even abolish the excessive prices charged for a wide range of services such as car parking, public transport, medical services, education, funeral and interment services and even for using public toilets in tourist areas.

"Some services, which charge excessively high prices or are complained about on a regular basis will be prohibited from charging anything at all," she said.

Lan said the bureau will launch specific campaigns to target the pricing of medicines and medical services, education, real estate, judicial services, property management, car parking, and commodities and services relating to agricultural production and rural development, all of which have been the subject of regular complaints from the public.

"Those who frequently drive up prices or conspire to do so will be severely punished," Lan said.

The official said the bureau will also make the business of pricing more transparent and even seek to involve the public in the process.

(China Daily May 17, 2007)