When it comes to large scale Chinese reform, Beijing often looks to Guangdong as the guinea pig. According to a story in today’s South China Morning Post, Beijing is once again looking to the south, this time in an attempt to reduce bureaucratic red tape and over-regulation. The paper reports Guangdong has been chosen to pilot what has been officially dubbed “The administrative examination and approval system”.  It was approved yesterday by the State Council.

Commencing immediately and running till 2015, the reforms will include eliminating or simplifying 314 types of government approval; most notably, small business and private investment.

The decision is something of a victory for Guangdong party boss Wang Yang, who remains a contender to enter the Politburo Standing Committee later this year. An outspoken proponent of political and legal reform in China, the pilot program suggests the central government is warming to Yang and his push for change: “To solve the problem of vested interest groups holding up reform, we must first perform surgery on the party and the government,” Wang told the National People’s Congress in March. It would appear as if they have listened.

How deep the reforms will run remains to be seen but for now at least, it appears Guangdong is to be front and center of something potentially very big in China.