Evidence-based policy to usher cleansing winds of change

The public is likely to find such a process more effective because it is built around knowledge from a multi-disciplined perspective plus public engagement at the deliberative stage.

Officials must, of course, still take the final decisions on what to do and be directly accountable to the public for their decisions. Having a knowledge-driven deliberative process, however, should also give them the confidence to face legislative scrutiny and public questioning of how policies are constructive and show evidence that they are optimal choices.

If China continues with its evidence-based policymaking process, policy outcomes will not only be properly tracked and analyzed but its decision-making will also become much more accountable.