BEIJING -- The Chinese government has issued guidance for government purchases of public services from social organizations and private companies, according to an official statement on Monday.

The State Council, or the Cabinet, said China will gradually carry out such purchases at local level between now and 2015. It will establish a system for government purchases of services from the private sector by 2020, according to a statement on www.gov.cn.

Public service sectors including education, employment, social security, medical health, housing security, culture and sports, as well as those serving the disabled, should open wider to the private sector in a step-by-step manner, the statement said.

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

Services that should be directly offered by the government, or not suitable for being undertaken by the private sector, or not included in government responsibilities, should not be purchased, the statement added.

Local governments and related departments should study and formulate a detailed catalogue of guidance for public services that could be purchased, said the State Council.