The
State Council is the chief administrative body of the
People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the
Premier and contains the heads of each governmental department and agency. There are about 50 members in the Council.
Standing Committee members of the State Council include the premier, four vice-premiers, five state councilors, and the secretary-general. The State Council meets once a month. Its standing committee meets twice a week.
The vice-premiers and state councilors are nominated by the premier, and appointed by the president with National People's Congress' (NPC) approval. The premier is nominated and appointed by the president with NPC approval. Incumbents may serve two successive five-year terms.
Each vice premier oversees certain areas of administration. The secretary-general, as head of the General Office, handles the day-to-day work of the State Council.
Each ministry supervises one sector. Commissions outrank ministries and set policies for and coordinate the related activities of different administrative organs. Offices deal with matters of ongoing concern. Bureaus and administrations rank below ministries.
See also: Politics of China, History of the People's Republic of China
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of National Defense
- State Development Planning Commission
- State Economic and Trade Commission
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Science and Technology
- State Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense
- State Ethnic Affairs Commission
- Ministry of Public Security
- Ministry of State Security
- Ministry of Supervision
- Ministry of Civil Affairs
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Personnel
- Ministry of Labour and Social Security
- Ministry of Land and Resources
- Ministry of Construction
- Ministry of Railways
- Ministry of Communications
- Ministry of Information Industry
- Ministry of Water Resources
- Ministry of Agriculture
- Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC)
- Ministry of Culture
- Ministry of Health
- State Family Planning Commission
- People's Bank of China
- National Audit Office
- General Administration of Customs
- State Bureau of Taxation
- State Environmental Protection Administration
- Civil Aviation Administration of China
- State Administration of Radio, Film and Television
- State Sports General Administration
- State Statistics Bureau
- State Administration for Industry and Commerce
- State Press and Publication Administration
- State Forestry Bureau
- General Administration of Quality Supervision and Quarantine
- State Drug Administration
- State Intellectual Property Office
- National Tourism Administration
- State Administration for Religious Affairs
- Counselor's Office under the State Council
- Bureau of Government Offices Administration
- State Industrial Safety Supervision Administration
- Foreign Affairs Office
- Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs
- Taiwan Affairs Office
- Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office
- Legislative Affairs Office
- State Economic Restructuring Office
- Information Office
- Research Office
- Xinhua News Agency[?]
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
- Chinese Academy of Engineering
- Development Research Center
- National School of Administration
- State Seismological Bureau
- China Meteorological Administration
- China Securities Regulatory Commission
- China Insurance Regulatory Commission
- State Grain Bureau
- State Tobacco Monopoly Industry Bureau
- State Bureau of Foreign Experts Affairs
- State Oceanography Bureau
- State Bureau of Surveying & Mapping
- State Postal Bureau
- State Bureau of Cultural Relics
- State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- State Administration of Foreign Exchange