Release of the “China County-Level Governance Modernization Development Index (2025)”

On May 24, the China County-Level Governance Modernization Forum and the release ceremony for the China County-Level Governance Modernization Development Index (2025) were held at Renmin University of China. The event was jointly organized by the National Academy of Development and Strategy (NADS), the Institute for High-Quality Development Strategies of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, and the School of Public Administration and Policy, all affiliated with Renmin University of China.

Professor XU Qinhua, Vice Dean of the National Academy of Development and Strategy, delivered the opening remarks and extended a warm welcome to the attending experts and scholars.

The report release session was chaired by Professor WANG Conghu, Deputy Director of the Center for Research on State Governance of NADS, Chair of the Department of Public Administration of Renmin University.

Professor QI Fanhua, Director of the Center for Research on State Governance of NADS, Dean of the Institute for High-Quality Development Strategies of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project at Renmin University, presented the General Report on China’s County-Level Governance Modernization. He provided a comprehensive interpretation of the evaluation index system for county-level governance modernization and unveiled the ranking of the top 100 counties. This year’s report marks a significant upgrade from last year’s edition, revealing the internal development patterns of county-level governance modernization in China, analyzing its key characteristics, and offering constructive recommendations for future progress.

Researcher ZHAO Tan from the Center for Research on State Governance of NADS presented two sub-reports: Sub-Report I: Governance Environment and Sub-Report II: Governance Capacity.

LIN Xin from the Department of National Governance at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance) delivered Sub-Report III: Governance Performance.

The keynote speech session, also chaired by Professor WANG Conghu, featured presentations by experts and scholars from government agencies, universities, and research institutions. They shared cutting-edge perspectives and insights on county-level governance modernization.

Proofread by QI Fanhua

Translated by ZHANG Yuqing

Edited by ZHANG Jingjing