The Chinese Government has issued guidelines for government purchase of public services from social organizations and private companies on September 30.

The State Council, China's cabinet, announced in a statement that the country is to gradually purchase services at a local level between now and 2015, and it will establish a system by 2020 for the purchasing of private sector services by government organizations.

Public service sectors including education, employment, social security, medical health, housing security, culture and sports, as well as services for the disabled, will be opened up to more private sector investment, according to the statement.

Service providers may include social organizations, companies or institutions legally registered or approved, it said.

Services that should be offered directly by the state, those that have been deemed unsuitable for the private sector, or those that are otherwise not included in government responsibilities, should not be purchased, the statement added.

Local governments and other related departments should formulate detailed guidelines for purchasing public services, according the State Council.