State Councilor Ma Kai Sunday called for improved academic research on administration reform to address problems in the administration structure hampering efforts to restructure.

Ma, also president of the Chinese Academy of Governance, made the remarks Sunday at a conference to inaugurate a research society focused on administrative reform.

The Chinese administration system is plagued by problems such as government heavy-handedness, weak social management and deficient public services, Ma said.

He added that mechanisms overseeing administrative power are still immature.

"We still have a long way to go in the reform of the administrative system," Ma said, "Administrative reform plays a critical role in both economic and political restructuring."

Ma stressed the research society should build itself into an academic advisory body and a think-tank for administrative reform policies.

(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2010)