Anhui Province in east China opened a document center recently, providing free public access to government files.

People with valid certificates can search for government documents which could hardly ever be viewed by the public before.

A 48-year-old woman claiming benefits and compensation since she lost her factory job recently found the information she wanted in the center at the Anhui Province Archives.

"I have asked several departments for some documents I need, it was really troublesome," she said. "But I've got them easily here!"

The center has gathered 6,418 government files from 1997 to 2002, which cover such social issues as unemployment, old age and health, jobs for demobilized soldiers and house rebuilding, according to Cui Haiyan, deputy head of the Archives.

"All new government policies and regulations can be found at the center soon after they come out. It helps citizens understand government policies better," Cui said.

Making documents public is the key to making government affairs more transparent, analysts say. People should be provided with a convenient database on government files.

The Anhui Provincial Archives will set up its Homepage this year, which will provide a list of government files on the Internet, according to Cui.