280
13 Water Resource Assets Management Reform
13.2.3 Guidance on the System for Paying and Usage
of Resources for Publicly Owned Natural Resources
In 2016, the State Council issued the Guidance on the System for Paying and Usage
of Resources for Publicly Owned Natural Resources. The document focuses on the
usufructuary rights, but it is part of the whole natural resources property rights system.
The document points out that the critical issues of supervision, market role, ownership
rights holder, and ownership benefits exist in the system for paying and usage of
resources. Therefore, the document aims to improve the system, improve natural
resources protection and rational development, and protect the rights and benefits of
the state owner. The orientation of the reform is to, first, protect natural resources,
then rational use, and, lastly, protect rights and benefits. The premise is “managed
by law and usage and purpose regulation.” The basis is the clarification of rights and
increasing commissions.
The basic principles are protection and rational use; separation of ownership rights
and usufructuary rights; increasing rights and enlarging commissions; market allocation and improving rules; clarifying rights, responsibilities, and hierarchies; innovating instruments and strengthening supervision. As for the separation of ownership
rights and usufructuary rights and increasing rights and enlarging commissions, the
document requires that the methods of publicly owned natural resources and ownership rights be innovated; the separation of ownership rights and usufructuary rights
be promoted; the publicly owned natural resources usufructuary rights system be
improved; usufructuary right types be enriched; and the commissions to sell, transfer,
lease, mortgage, guarantee, and share-hold be properly enlarged to ensure the rights
foundation for paying for using publicly owned natural resources is solidified.
In the field of water resources, to improve the system for the payment for the use of
water resources, the document requires that the strictest water resources management
strategy be implemented; the necessary river flow and water levels in the reservoir
be maintained to protect the eco-functions; the collection of the water resource fee
be improved; the water resources fee-to-tax reform be promoted; the water trade on
the trading platform be promoted.
As the guidance aims to improve the management of the use of natural resources,
the document requires the reform to be coordinated with other reforms, such as those
on natural resource property rights and those on clarification and registration.
13.2.4 Guidance to Comprehensively Promote the Reform
of the Natural Resource Assets Property Rights System
Following the guidance on the paying for use resources system, in April 2019 the
Office of the State Council issued the Guidance to Comprehensively Promote the
Reform of the Natural Resource Assets Property Rights System. The document
acknowledges key issues in natural resource use and protection, such as the unclear
13 Water Resource Assets Management Reform
13.2.3 Guidance on the System for Paying and Usage
of Resources for Publicly Owned Natural Resources
In 2016, the State Council issued the Guidance on the System for Paying and Usage
of Resources for Publicly Owned Natural Resources. The document focuses on the
usufructuary rights, but it is part of the whole natural resources property rights system.
The document points out that the critical issues of supervision, market role, ownership
rights holder, and ownership benefits exist in the system for paying and usage of
resources. Therefore, the document aims to improve the system, improve natural
resources protection and rational development, and protect the rights and benefits of
the state owner. The orientation of the reform is to, first, protect natural resources,
then rational use, and, lastly, protect rights and benefits. The premise is “managed
by law and usage and purpose regulation.” The basis is the clarification of rights and
increasing commissions.
The basic principles are protection and rational use; separation of ownership rights
and usufructuary rights; increasing rights and enlarging commissions; market allocation and improving rules; clarifying rights, responsibilities, and hierarchies; innovating instruments and strengthening supervision. As for the separation of ownership
rights and usufructuary rights and increasing rights and enlarging commissions, the
document requires that the methods of publicly owned natural resources and ownership rights be innovated; the separation of ownership rights and usufructuary rights
be promoted; the publicly owned natural resources usufructuary rights system be
improved; usufructuary right types be enriched; and the commissions to sell, transfer,
lease, mortgage, guarantee, and share-hold be properly enlarged to ensure the rights
foundation for paying for using publicly owned natural resources is solidified.
In the field of water resources, to improve the system for the payment for the use of
water resources, the document requires that the strictest water resources management
strategy be implemented; the necessary river flow and water levels in the reservoir
be maintained to protect the eco-functions; the collection of the water resource fee
be improved; the water resources fee-to-tax reform be promoted; the water trade on
the trading platform be promoted.
As the guidance aims to improve the management of the use of natural resources,
the document requires the reform to be coordinated with other reforms, such as those
on natural resource property rights and those on clarification and registration.
13.2.4 Guidance to Comprehensively Promote the Reform
of the Natural Resource Assets Property Rights System
Following the guidance on the paying for use resources system, in April 2019 the
Office of the State Council issued the Guidance to Comprehensively Promote the
Reform of the Natural Resource Assets Property Rights System. The document
acknowledges key issues in natural resource use and protection, such as the unclear