China's private couriers could soon be paying directly into the national postal system's universal service fund if a recent draft from the State Post Bureau goes into effect. According to the bureau, this fund will be used to subsidize the construction and operation of 600,000 post offices in the nation's 598,000 villages.

It's understandable if China's postal authorities are short on money to fund these offices themselves - after all, many of their clients keep ditching them in favor of the country's more efficient private delivery enterprises. But these private businesses should not be put on the hook for the Post Bureau's fund.

Like other welfare and social service projects, China's rural postal system should be funded by government fiscal spending. Courier companies pay their taxes like other businesses in China, so why should they be any more or less responsible for the postal system? This proposal will only add another fee on top of the burdens delivery companies already have to contend with.

The author is Ma Hongman, a commentator.

Source: caijing.com.cn