Multi-layered Nested Policy Instrument Selection: Theoretical Logic and Chinese Practice

Selecting appropriate policy instruments to achieve specific policy goals constitutes a crucial theme in public policy research. Current studies on policy instruments in China often exhibit a tendency to uncritically apply Western theoretical frameworks, failing to deeply comprehend and elucidate the theoretical logic of policy instrument selection and its distinctive practices within China's unique governance system. This paper attempts to construct a multi-level nested theoretical framework for policy instrument selection, encompassing three dimensions: the choice of policy instrument types, the selection of design features for policy instruments, and the holistic adjustment of policy instrument choices. It further analyzes the logic of policy instrument selection embedded within China's indigenous governance context. The study finds that policy instrument selection is a dynamic process that comprehensively considers multiple factors—including the attributes and interrelationships of the instruments themselves, government governance models and preferences, government resources and capacities, and the characteristics of target groups—to achieve a multi-level nested “goal-instrument” matching relationship. Specifically, the selection of policy instrument types is problem-oriented, focusing on the effectiveness of instruments in achieving policy objectives; the selection of design features for policy instruments is results-oriented, emphasizing the implementation of instruments in realizing policy targets; and the holistic adjustment of policy instrument choices is relationship-oriented, highlighting the systemic coordination of instruments in fulfilling policy aims. The logic of policy design shaped by China's state institutions and governance system provides unique value guidance, a richer array of type options, stronger institutional resilience, and greater adjustment space for policy instrument selection, manifesting distinctive Chinese characteristics in policy practice. Future research needs to deepen the understanding of the foundational theories and institutional logic underlying policy instrument selection within China's distinctive political system, strengthen studies on the design features of policy instruments and the holistic adjustment of policy instrument choices, and promote in-depth case analyses and systematic comparative research grounded in China's governance practices. Moreover, it is crucial to explore the systemic impact of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, on the selection of policy instruments. The marginal contribution of this paper lies in constructing the multi-level nested theoretical framework for policy instrument selection. This framework enriches the explanatory mechanisms for understanding policy instrument choice and offers new perspectives and directions for comprehending the underlying logic of policy instrument selection in China.