Institutional Reform Of The State Council

Since its establishment on September 27, 1954, the State Council of the People's Republic of China has undergone several major institutional reforms.

Government Administration Council

Zhou Enlai (1952)

The Resolution of the Central People's Government Committee on Adjusting the Central People's Government Institutions was adopted at the 17th meeting of the Central People 's Government Committee on August 7, 1952, and promulgated by the Central People's Government on August 10, 1952:

# The Central People's Government General Intelligence Bureau and the Central People's Government General Information Bureau were abolished;
# The Ministry of Foreign Trade of the Central People's Government and the Ministry of Commerce of the Central People's Government were established, and the Ministry of Trade of the Central People's Government was abolished;
# The First Ministry of Machine Building Industry of the Central People's Government, the Second Ministry of Machine Building Industry of the Central People's Government, the Ministry of Construction Engineering of the Central People's Government, the Ministry of Geology of the Central People's Government, and the Ministry of Food of the Central People's Government were established.

The Resolution of the Central People's Government Committee on the Establishment of Central People's Government Institutions was adopted at the 19th meeting of the Central People's Government Committee on November 15, 1952, and promulgated by the Central People's Government on November 16, 1952:

# The State Planning Commission of the Central People's Government was established;
# The Ministry of Higher Education of the Central People's Government was established;
# The Central People's Government Committee for Eradicating Illiteracy was established;
# The Central People's Government Sports Commission is established.

1954 to 1978

Zhou Enlai (1956)

On May 12, 1956, the fortieth session of the Standing Committee of the 1st National People's Congress discussed the proposal put forward by Premier Zhou Enlai on adjusting the organizational structure of the State Council and passed the "Resolution of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Adjusting the Organizational Structure of the State Council."

Decision to revoke:

# Ministry of Heavy Industry
# The Third Ministry of Machinery Industry
# Ministry of Local Industry

Decision to establish:

# State Economic Commission
# State Technical Committee
# Ministry of Metallurgical Industry
# Ministry of Chemical Industry
# Ministry of Building Materials Industry
# Ministry of Electric Machinery Manufacturing Industry
# Ministry of Food Industry
# Ministry of Fisheries
# Ministry of Agriculture and Reclamation
# Ministry of Forestry Industry
# Ministry of Urban and Rural Construction
# Ministry of Urban Services.

The State Council approved the abolition of the Urban Construction Bureau and the establishment of the Material Supply Bureau and the Expert Bureau as agencies directly under the State Council. The former Expert Bureau was renamed to the Foreign Experts Bureau.

Zhou Enlai (1958)

On February 11, 1958, the fifth session of the 1st National People's Congress adopted the "Decision of the Fifth Session of the First National People's Congress on Adjusting the Organizations and Institutions of the State Council" based on the "Proposal on Adjusting the Organizations and Institutions of the State Council" submitted by Premier Zhou Enlai on February 6, 1958.

# The State Construction Commission was abolished. The work under the State Construction Commission was transferred to the State Planning Commission, the State Economic Commission and the Ministry of Construction.
# The Department of Commerce was renamed the First Department of Commerce. The Department of Urban Services was renamed the Second Department of Commerce .
# The First Ministry of Machinery Industry, the Second Ministry of Machinery Industry and the Ministry of Electric Machinery Manufacturing Industry were merged into the First Ministry of Machinery Industry. The Third Ministry of Machinery Industry was renamed the Second Ministry of Machinery Industry.
# The Ministry of Electric Power Industry and the Ministry of Water Resources were merged into the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power.
# The Ministry of Building Materials Industry, the Ministry of Construction Engineering and the Ministry of Urban Construction were merged into the Ministry of Construction Engineering.
# The Ministry of Light Industry and the Ministry of Food Industry were merged into the Ministry of Light Industry.
# The Ministry of Forestry and the Ministry of Forest Industries were merged into the Ministry of Forestry.
# A Foreign Cultural Liaison Committee was established and the Foreign Cultural Liaison Bureau was abolished.
# The Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Education were merged into the Ministry of Education.

Zhou Enlai (1964)

On June 9, 1964, the 119th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Second National People's Congress adopted the "Resolution of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on the Establishment of the Foreign Economic Liaison Committee":

* Foreign Economic Liaison Committee was established and the General Administration of Foreign Economic Liaison was abolished.

Reform and opening up period

Hua Guofeng (1979)

* On March 4, 1979, the State Council approved the report of the State Construction Commission and decided to separate the Equipment Complete Set General Administration under the First Ministry of Machine Building and put the State Machinery Equipment Complete Set General Administration, a State Council-affiliated agency, under the State Construction Commission.
* On October 9, 1979, the State Council approved Yu Qiuli's proposal to separate the General Administration of Instruments and Meters Industry under the First Ministry of Machine Building from the State Administration of Instruments and Meters Industry, and set up the State Instruments and Meters Industry General Administration, which would be managed by the First Ministry of Machine Building.

Zhao Ziyang (1982)

* On May 4, 1982, the twenty second session of the Standing Committee of the 5th National People's Congress passed a resolution to merge the First Ministry of Machine Building, the Ministry of Agricultural Machinery, the State Administration of Instrument Industry and the State Administration of Complete Machinery and Equipment into the Ministry of Machinery Industry.

Li Peng (1988)

The first session of the 7th National People's Congress reviewed the State Council's institutional reform plan and State Councilor Song Ping's explanation of the plan, and decided to approve the State Council's institutional reform plan.

Li Peng (1993)

The first session of the 8th National People's Congress reviewed the State Council's institutional reform plan and the explanation of the plan by Luo Gan, the Secretary-General of the State Council, and decided to approve the State Council's institutional reform plan.

Zhu Rongji (1998)

On March 10, 1998, the first session of the 9th National People's Congress listened to the explanation of the State Councilor and Secretary-General of the State Council Luo Gan on the State Council's institutional reform plan reviewed the State Council's institutional reform plan, and decided to approve it.

# 15 ministries and commissions were abolished
## Ministry of Electric Power Industry
## Ministry of Coal Industry
## Ministry of Metallurgical Industry
## Ministry of Machinery Industry
## Ministry of Electronics Industry
## Ministry of Chemical Industry
## Ministry of Domestic Trade
## Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
## Ministry of Labor
## Ministry of Radio, Film and Television
## Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources
## Ministry of Forestry
## State Sports Commission
## Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense
## State Economic System Reform Commission
# There are 4 new ministries and commissions
## Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense
## Ministry of Information Industry
## Ministry of Labor and Social Security
## Ministry of Land and Resources
# Three ministries and commissions were renamed
## The State Planning Commission was renamed the State Development Planning Commission
## The Science and Technology Commission was renamed the Ministry of Science and Technology
## The State Education Commission was renamed the Ministry of Education

Wen Jiabao (2003)

On March 10, 2003, the third plenary meeting of the first session of the 10th National People's Congress adopted the "Decision of the Tenth National People's Congress on the Plan for the Reform of the State Council's Institutions" with an absolute majority . The plan specifically proposed the requirement of coordinating the three powers of "decision-making, execution and supervision".

# The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council was established.
# The National Development Planning Commission was reorganized into thethe National Development and Reform Commission.
# The China Banking Regulatory Commission was established.
# The Ministry of Commerce was established.
# The State Food and Drug Administration was established based on the State Drug Administration, and the State Administration of Work Safety was transferred from the State Economic and Trade Commission to the State Council.
# The National Family Planning Commission was renamed the National Population and Family Planning Commission.
# The State Economic and Trade Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation were abolished.

Wen Jiabao (2008)

On March 15, 2008, the fifth plenary meeting of the first session of the 11th National People's Congress adopted the "Decision of the First Session of the Eleventh National People's Congress on the Plan for the Reform of the State Council's Institutions" with 2,744 votes in favor, 117 votes against and 99 abstentions, approving the "Plan for the Reform of the State Council's Institutions":

# The National Energy Commission was established and put under the National Development and Reform Commission.
# The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology was established and the Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, the Ministry of Information Industry and the National Informatization Leading Group were abolished. The State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense was established and put under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration was put under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
# The Ministry of Transport was established, replacing the Ministry of Communications. The Civil Aviation Administration of China was put under the Ministry of Transport.
# The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security was established, replacing the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. The National Civil Service Bureau was put under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
# The Ministry of Environmental Protection was established, replacing the State Environmental Protection Administration.
# The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development was established, replacing the Ministry of Construction.
# The State Food and Drug Administration was established by the Ministry of Health.

Li Keqiang (2013)

On March 15, 2013, the second plenary meeting of the first session of the 12th National People's Congress adopted by an absolute majority the "Decision of the First Session of the 12th National People's Congress on the Plan for the Reform of the State Council's Institutions and Functions". This reform reduced the number of ministerial-level institutions of the State Council by four, including two constituent departments, while the number of vice-ministerial-level institutions remained unchanged. After the reform, in addition to the General Office of the State Council, the State Council had 25 constituent departments:

# The National Railway Administration was established under the Ministry of Transport, replacing the Ministry of Railways.The China Railway Corporation was established, which assumed the enterprise responsibilities of the Ministry of Railways.
# The National Health and Family Planning Commission was established, replacing the Ministry of Health and the National Population and Family Planning Commission. The National Population and Family Planning Commission's responsibilities for researching and formulating population development strategies, plans, and population policies were transferred to the National Development and Reform Commission. The National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine was put under the National Health and Family Planning Commission.
# The State Food and Drug Administration was established, replacing the State Food and Drug Administration and the separate Office of the State Council Food Safety Committee. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine's responsibilities for food safety supervision and management in the production link, and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce's responsibilities for food safety supervision and management in the circulation link as well as the corresponding food safety supervision and management teams and inspection and testing institutions of the industrial and commercial administration and quality and technical supervision departments were transferred to the State Food and Drug Administration. The State Council Food Safety Committee was retained. The State Food and Drug Administration was also named the Office of the State Council Food Safety Committee.
# The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television was established, replacing the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and the State Administration of Press, Publication and Television.
# The State Oceanic Administration was reorganized. The State Oceanic Administration and its China Marine Surveillance, the Ministry of Public Security's Border and Coast Guard, the Ministry of Agriculture's China Fisheries Administration, and the General Administration of Customs' Maritime Anti-Smuggling Police will be integrated into a new State Oceanic Administration, which was managed by the Ministry of Land and Resources .
# The National Energy Administration was reorganized. The responsibilities of the National Energy Administration and the State Electricity Regulatory Commission were integrated, and the National Energy Administration was put under the National Development and Reform Commission.

Li Keqiang (2018)

On March 17, 2018, the first session of the 13th National People's Congress adopted the "Decision of the First Session of the 13th National People's Congress on the Plan for the Reform of the State Council's Institutions" and approved the "Plan for the Reform of the State Council's Institutions". According to this reform plan, the number of ministerial-level institutions of the State Council was reduced by 8, and the number of vice-ministerial-level institutions was reduced by 7. In addition to the General Office of the State Council, the State Council now had 26 constituent departments. These reforms were part of the deepening the reform of the Party and state institutions.

Li Qiang (2023)

{{Excerpt, Plan on reforming Party and state institutions#State Council

References

State Council of China