Notice of the General Office of the State Council on Forwarding the Notice of the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport on Further Improving Policies on Investment and Financing and Promoting the Sustainable and Healthy Development of Highways

国务院办公厅转发发展改革委、财政部、交通运输部关于进一步完善投融资政策促进普通公路持续健康发展若干意见的通知

Promulgating Institution: General Office of the State Council

Document Number: Guo Ban Fa [2011] No. 22

Promulgating Date: 04/24/2011

Effective Date: 04/24/2011

颁布机关: 国务院办公厅

文      号: 国办发[2011]22号

颁布时间:04/24/2011

实施时间: 04/24/2011

The people's governments of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, ministries and commissions of the State Council, institutions directly under the State Council:

The Several Opinions on Further Improving Policies on Investment and Financing and Promoting the Sustainable and Healthy Development of Highways submitted by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport has been approved by the State Council, and is hereby forwarded to you for conscientious implementation.

General Office of the State Council

April 24, 2011

    各省、自治区、直辖市人民政府，国务院各部委、各直属机构:

    发展改革委、财政部、交通运输部《关于进一步完善投融资政策促进普通公路持续健康发展的若干意见》已经国务院同意，现转发给你们，请认真贯彻执行。

    国务院办公厅

    二○一一年四月二十四日

Several Opinions on Further Improving Policies on Investment and Financing and Promoting the Sustainable and Healthy Development of Highways

National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transport

Significant achievements have been made to China's highway construction since the reform and opening-up drive. The rapidly expanding mileage and the strengthened service capacity are pivotal to economic and social development. However, such problems as difficult debt service and insufficient highway maintenance remain prevail. The construction, maintenance and management of highway is facing a new environment for development especially since the price and tax reform of refined oil and gradual and orderly cancellation of the toll on secondary roads with government debt service. With a view to further improving the systems and mechanisms for highway investment and financing and promoting sustainable and healthy development of highway, the opinions are hereby given as follows:

关于进一步完善投融资政策促进普通公路持续健康发展的若干意见

发展改革委 财政部 交通运输部

    改革开放以来，我国普通公路建设取得了巨大成就，通车里程规模迅速扩大、服务能力显著增强，对经济社会发展发挥了重要支撑作用。但也存在着债务偿还困难、养护相对不足等问题，特别是成品油价格和税费改革以及逐步有序取消政府还贷二级公路收费以后，普通公路的建设、养护管理面临新的发展环境。为进一步完善普通公路投融资体制机制，促进普通公路持续健康发展，现提出以下意见:

1. Understanding sufficiently the importance of highway development

(1) Highway refers to those non-toll roads which provide fundamental and universal service for public traveling other than expressways. It is consisted of ordinary trunk highways at state or provincial level and country highways. As the main body of China's road network, these traffic infrastructures constitute an important and basic condition to guarantee both economic and social development and people's production and living for the widest coverage, the most population served, the most universal service provided and the strongest welfare nature. Continuously improving highway networks and fully playing the fundamental service role of highway is highly significant for facilitating people's traveling, promoting construction of socialist new rural area, accelerating urbanization and industrialization and building a harmonious socialist society. Construction and maintenance of highway is an important aspect of public service for governments at various levels. As a result, all areas and relevant departments shall pay special emphasis to highway construction, maintenance and management, plan transport resources as a whole and finance actively to ensure sustainable and healthy development of highways.

       一、充分认识普通公路发展的重要性

    (一)普通公路是指除高速公路以外的、为公众出行提供基础性普遍服务的非收费公路,由普通国省干线公路和农村公路组成,构成了我国公路网的主体,是我国覆盖范围最广、服务人口最多、提供服务最普遍、公益性最强的交通基础设施,是保障经济社会发展和人民生产生活的重要基础条件。不断完善普通公路网络,充分发挥普通公路的基础性服务作用,对于便利群众出行,推动社会主义新农村建设,促进城镇化和工业化发展,构建社会主义和谐社会,具有十分重要的意义。建设和维护好普通公路,是各级人民政府履行公共服务职能的重要内容。各地区、各有关部门要高度重视普通公路建设、养护和管理,统筹交通资源,积极筹措资金,保障普通公路持续健康发展。

2. General requirements and basic principles

(2) General Requirements. Guided by the scientific outlook on development, in accordance with requirements on strengthening public service of the government, based on the need of economic and social development and financial potential, a long-term mechanism for investment and financing featuring the fundamental role of public finance, the clear responsibility of governments at various levels and the matching between financial capacity and authority shall be built, in order to realize sustainable and healthy development of highways.

(3) Basic Principles. While sticking to the leading role of the government, the guarantee capacity of public finance shall be improved in an effort to settle the problem of highway investment primarily with financial funds. Those financing channels shall be regulated, and supervision and management over fund use shall be strengthened. The need and financial capacity shall be planned from an overall perspective, with the need for development and financial conditions being considered comprehensively. In order to promote the development of highway in an ordered way, a practical and realistic way will be followed for utilization of capacities. The financial capacity shall match corresponding authority, so that the duty of governments at various levels for highway construction and maintenance will be specified, and finance allocation will be conducted reasonably in accordance with authority of governments at various levels. Scientific planning will be adopted with reasonable plan and timely adjustment to the overall layout, scale of road network and standard of highway on the basis of the requirement of economic and social development and positioning of road network. Priority shall be given to existing markets, funds for construction, renovation and enlargement and maintenance shall be allocated reasonably with the focus on both construction and maintenance and a priority given to maintenance.

       二、总体要求和基本原则

    (二)总体要求。以科学发展观为指导,按照加强政府公共服务职能的要求,根据经济社会发展需要与财力可能,建立以公共财政为基础、各级政府责任清晰、财力和事权相匹配的投融资长效机制,实现普通公路的持续健康发展。

    (三)基本原则。坚持政府主导,提高公共财政保障能力,以财政性资金为主解决普通公路投入问题,规范融资渠道,加强资金使用监管。坚持需求和财力相统筹,综合考虑发展需要和财力状况,实事求是,量力而行,有序推进普通公路发展。坚持财力和事权相匹配,明确各级政府对普通公路的建设与养护管理责任,根据各级政府事权合理配置财力。坚持科学规划,根据经济社会发展需求和路网功能定位,合理规划、适时调整普通公路的总体布局、路网规模和标准。坚持存量优先,合理安排新建、改扩建及养护资金,做到建养并重、养护优先。

3. Anxiously guaranteeing the funds for maintenance and construction of highways

(4) Regulating the use of transferred payment of funds from the price and tax reform of refined oil. Since the price and tax reform of refined oil, the refund of base amount from the increased tax revenue of refined oil with deduction of road maintenance fee as well as the amount of incremental funds equaling the proportion of road maintenance fee to the original base amount will be used for maintenance and management of highway in full amount in principle, and may not be used for construction of toll roads. The special fund from the increased tax revenue of refined oil consumption arranged by each places each year for reimbursement of removed secondary toll roads with government debt service will be used in full amount for maintenance, management and construction of highway since completion of reimbursement. The efforts to transfer incremental funds from the tax revenue of price and tax reform of refined oil to the maintenance, management and construction of highway shall be strengthened.

(5) Strengthening support to highway development. The investment amount from the central budget will continue to be used for highway construction. The structure of vehicle-purchase tax expenditure will be adjusted, with an increase in the proportion of expenditure in trunk highway. While regulating government debt management and with controllable risk, within the framework of the system under which the Central Government issues bonds on behalf of local governments, take the need of highway construction and development into consideration, the issuance of bonds will be increased adequately and arranged by local governments for highway development. In addition to funds from the central budget, special funds and government bonds, local governments at various levels shall put more efforts to allocate other financial funds for highway development. The distribution and regulation mechanism for the funds of Central Government shall be improved with more emphasis on Western regions, in order to realize reasonable distribution among regions and promote the harmonized development of regional transport.

(6) Increasing investment on highway through multi-channels. The revenue from investment of central budget and vehicle-purchase tax in the area of road traffic shall primarily be used for highway construction. A proportion of the revenue from transferring the operation of roads with government debt service shall be used for highway construction. A mechanism for overall development of expressway and highway shall be built gradually. While constructing, renovating or expanding expressways, the closely-related highway which provides distribution services shall be included into the project for unified planning and construction. Such methods of financing as conforming to the commonwealth nature of highway shall be actively explored, and the support from all walks of society to highway development shall be encouraged.

       三、切实保障普通公路养护和建设资金

    (四)规范成品油价格和税费改革转移支付资金使用。成品油价格和税费改革后,新增成品油消费税收入基数返还中替代公路养路费支出部分和增量资金中相当于养路费占原基数比例的部分,原则上全额用于普通公路的养护管理,不得用于收费公路建设。新增成品油消费税收入中每年安排各地用于政府还贷二级收费公路撤站债务偿还的专项资金,在债务偿还完毕后,全额用于普通公路养护管理和建设。加大成品油价格和税费改革新增税收收入增量资金对普通公路养护管理和建设的转移支付力度。

    (五)加大对普通公路发展的支持力度。继续安排中央预算内投资用于普通公路的建设。调整车购税支出结构,提高用于普通干线公路的支出比重。在规范政府性债务管理和风险可控的条件下,在现行中央代理发行地方政府债券制度框架内,考虑普通公路建设发展需求因素,适当扩大发行债券规模,由地方政府安排用于普通公路发展。除中央预算内资金、专项资金和政府债券外,地方各级人民政府应加大力度安排其他财政性资金用于普通公路发展。完善中央资金分配调节机制,加大向西部地区倾斜力度,实现区域间的合理分配,促进区域交通协调发展。

    (六)多渠道增加普通公路投入。中央预算内投资和车购税资金在公路交通领域投资形成的收益,应主要用于普通公路建设。各地转让政府还贷公路经营权益所得,应安排一定比例资金用于普通公路建设。逐步建立高速公路与普通公路统筹发展机制,新建、改扩建高速公路应将与之密切关联、提供集散服务的普通公路纳入项目范围,统一规划、统一建设。积极探索符合普通公路公益性质的市场融资方式,鼓励社会各界支持普通公路发展。

4. Promptly improving relevant matching measures

(7) Strengthening supervision and management over the use of funds. The measures for use and management of funds from the transferred payment due to the price and tax reform of refined oil shall be formulated promptly, in order to regulate the distribution, use, supervision and management of special funds. The funds of financial departments at various levels for highway development shall be included into budget management, competent financial and transport departments at various levels shall implement strictly relevant stipulations on treasury management to ensure allocation and payment of funds on time and in full. The special funds from price and tax reform of refined oil shall be used for special purposes and may not be impropriated or embezzled. The performance evaluation of the use of funds shall be improved, the guidance and supervision over social funds for highway infrastructure sector shall be strengthened, and the auditing and supervision over use of various funds shall be strengthened according to law to actually increase the efficiency of fund use.

(8) Regulating the transport financing platform established by the government. The people's government at various levels shall implement relevant regulations in the Notice of the State Council on Strengthening Management over the Financing Platform Company Established by Local Governments (Guo Fa [2010] No. 19) in real earnest, strengthen supervision and management over various transport financing platform companies, and provision of guarantee in violation of regulations and guarantee in disguised form shall be strictly prohibited.

(9) Settling the problem of debt properly. The people's governments at various levels shall comprehensively reimburse the debt balance from highway construction, and reasonably share the responsibility of repaying principal plus interest for government debts, arrange financial resources from an overall perspective, and reimburse the previous debts for highway development in strict accordance with regulations and agreements. Financial supervision and management institutions shall take measures to strengthen prevention and control of financial risks. The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Transport, the State Development and Reform Commission and other departments shall pay close attention to the debts from highway development, deliberate and put forward policies and measures for credit risk prevention at due time.

(10) Arranging systems and mechanisms of road management. The reform scheme for highway management and maintenance shall be discussed and formulated promptly to further clarify the power distribution of highway-related matters, specify the responsibility of governments at various levels, and regulate the systems and mechanisms for road management gradually. In accordance with the requirement on clear authority and regulated management system, experiences from practice shall be summarized conscientiously for timely revision and improvement of relevant laws and regulations.

       四、抓紧完善相关配套措施

    (七)加强资金使用的监督管理。尽快制定成品油价格和税费改革转移支付资金使用管理办法,规范专项资金的分配使用和监督管理。各级财政用于普通公路发展的资金应纳入预算管理,各级财政和交通运输主管部门要严格执行国库管理制度有关规定,确保及时足额拨付资金。成品油价格和税费改革形成的交通资金实行专款专用,不得挤占、挪用。要健全资金使用的绩效考核管理,加强对公路基础设施领域社会资金的引导和监管,依法加强对各类资金使用情况的审计监督,切实提高资金使用效益。

    (八)规范政府性交通融资平台。地方各级人民政府要认真落实《国务院关于加强地方政府融资平台公司管理有关问题的通知》(国发〔2010〕19号)有关规定,加强对各类交通融资平台公司的监管,严禁违规提供担保或进行变相担保。

    (九)妥善处理债务问题。地方各级人民政府要全面清理普通公路建设形成的债务余额,合理分担政府性债务还本付息责任,统筹安排财力,严格按规定和协议偿还普通公路发展形成的历史债务。金融监管机构要采取措施加强金融风险的防控。财政部、交通运输部、发展改革委等部门要密切关注普通公路发展的债务问题,适时研究提出防范信贷风险的政策措施。

    (十)理顺公路管理体制机制。抓紧研究制定公路管养体制改革方案,进一步明确公路事权归属,分清各级政府责任,逐步理顺公路管理体制机制。要根据明晰事权、理顺管理体制的要求,认真总结实践经验,适时修订完善相关法律法规。

5. Requirements on work.

(11) Actually strengthening organization and implementation. All regions and departments shall, based on the requirements of these Opinions and take into consideration the actual conditions of respective regions and departments, formulate detailed opinions for implementation and carry out tasks from an overall perspective. The relationship among reform, development and stabilization shall be correctly dealt with in order to promote various tasks properly.

(12) Further strengthening coordination and guidance. The State Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Transport and other departments shall coordinate closely on the basis of their respective responsibilities, strengthen macro guidance, supervision and inspection over financing for highway development, and settle any and all significant matter arising from work in time.

       五、工作要求

    (十一)切实抓好组织实施。各地区、各有关部门要根据本意见的要求,结合本地区、本部门实际制定具体实施意见,统筹安排落实工作任务。要正确处理改革、发展与稳定的关系,稳妥推进各项工作。

    (十二)进一步加强协调指导。发展改革委、财政部、交通运输部等部门要根据各自职责,密切协同配合,加强对普通公路发展投融资工作的宏观指导和监督检查,及时解决工作中出现的重大问题。