New Agenda for the Study of Chinese Governance

The rise of governance theory produces a discernible impact on political-administrative research and public administration practices in China. The introduction of such concepts as the state governance system and social governance indicates that governance has even become an official discourse in China. Since the inception of governance theory in China, a series of disputes have emerged in terms of the logical relationship between governance and good governance and the applicability of governance theory in China. Although these disputes exert a marginal effect on research on Chinese governance, a core issue regarding applicability reappears—tension between state building and governance—amid the present-day conflict between state governance and social governance, as well as, the current contention between official discourse and academic discourse. The future agenda of research on Chinese governance needs to revolve around this core, involving state governance, social governance, and the interaction between the two.