Wang Jinhua, deputy director of the Rural Areas Division of the Grassroots Political Power Building Department under the Ministry of Civil Affairs in China, has told local media that China is studying ways to create an index system for quantifying a harmonious society.

Wang says that China will have a measurement standard for the harmonious society and within that resident satisfaction will be an important part of assessing community harmony.

Currently, many public services in China, like health, education and security are undertaken by local communities, but they should be influenced by the national government as well, Wang says. The burden of the communities will be alleviated in the future and such public services as basic security registration and review should be gradually taken by the government.

Wang says that China will promulgate an Urban Resident Commission Organization Law to further clarify the identification, legal position, function, responsibilities and treatment of such autonomous organizations. Meanwhile, a testing system will be arranged to promote the construction of the harmonious community.

By the end of 2006, there were 80717 residential communities across China, each of which took an average of more than 60 kinds of public services.