New credibility platform on way

Municipal government departments will be given access next month to a new platform that tracks the credibility of companies and the credit rating of individuals, local media reported yesterday.

From May, government officials will be able to access records of behavior of companies and individuals collected by administrative and judicial governmental departments and utility providers in the course of their work, according to a report by the Shanghai Morning Post.

Examples include records of companies that performed badly in carrying out contracts, and individuals who have fallen into arrears on their utility payments.

The platform will be used in granting government contracts and allocating government spending, the Shanghai Municipal People's Government said on its official website.

From the end of this year, individuals and enterprises will also be able to access the platform. However, it remains uncertain whether information on individuals will be made available to the public due to privacy concerns, said Yang Qinwei from the public relations department of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Information.

The platform mainly depends on existing government databases and the cross-departmental information sharing system. It is part of the government's efforts to build a broader social credibility system.

The government has been conducting 13 trials across 12 key sectors to promote the recording and sharing of data for the system.

For example, this month the Shanghai Municipal Transport and Port Authority began recording infringements by drivers, and punishing those with poor track records.

The government is also working on laws and regulations that will support the construction of the broader social credibility system.