State Council of China

The State Council of the People's Republic of China, synonymous with Central People's Government, is the supreme administrative organ of China's unified state apparatus and the executive organ of the National People's Congress, the supreme organ of state power. It is composed of a premier, vice-premiers, state councilors, ministers, chairpersons of commissions, an auditor-general, the governor of the People's Bank of China, and a secretary-general.

State Council of the People's Republic of China
中华人民共和国国务院
Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Guówùyuàn

The State Council's First Conference Room
Agency overview
Formed27 September 1954; 71 years ago (1954-09-27)
Preceding agency
TypeExecutive body of the National People's Congress
Highest organ of State administration
JurisdictionGovernment of the People's Republic of China
HeadquartersState Council Office Secretariat, Zhongnanhai, Beijing
Agency executives
Child agencies
  • General Office
  • 26 Constituent Departments (cabinet-level)
Websiteenglish.www.gov.cn
State Council of China
Simplified Chinese中华人民共和国国务院
Traditional Chinese中華人民共和國國務院
Literal meaning"People's Republic of China State Affairs Court"
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Guówùyuàn
State Council
(commonly used abbreviation)
Simplified Chinese国务院
Traditional Chinese國務院
Literal meaning"The Court of State Affairs"
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGuówùyuàn
IPA[kwǒ.û.ɥɛ̂n]
Central People's Government
(Constitutional synonym)
Chinese中央人民政府
Literal meaningCentral People Government
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhōngyāng Rénmín Zhèngfǔ

The premier of the State Council is responsible for the State Council and exercises overall leadership of its work. The secretary-general of the State Council, under the leadership of the premier, is responsible for handling the daily work of the State Council and heads the General Office of the State Council. The executive meeting of the State Council, consisting of the premier, vice-premiers, state councilors, and the secretary-general, is held two to three times a month, while the plenary meeting, consisting of all members of the State Council, is held every six months.

The State Council directly oversees provincial-level People's Governments, and in practice maintains membership with top levels of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The State Council is legally required to implement the policies of the CCP. Aside from a few, members of the State Council are also members of the CCP's Central Committee.

Organization

The State Council is described by the Chinese constitution as the executive organ of the National People's Congress (NPC), as well as the "highest state administrative organ". Constitutionally, the main functions of the State Council are to formulate administrative measures, issue decisions and orders, and monitor their implementation; draft legislative bills for submission to the NPC or its Standing Committee; and prepare the economic plan and the state budget for deliberation and approval by the NPC. The State Council has flexibility in decision-making, especially with regard to economic matters, but the Politburo has ultimate authority. According to the Organic Law of the State Council, the CCP Central Committee exercises leadership over the State Council. The law also stipulates the State Council must follow the CCP's ideology and policies.

Composition

The State Council is composed of the premier, several vice premiers, several state councillors, ministers of ministries, directors of committees, the auditor general, and the secretary-general. The premier leads the State Council: 58  and is appointed by the NPC upon the nomination by the president, though in practice the premier is chosen within the CCP leadership, including the Politburo Standing Committee. The vice premiers (one executive and generally three others), state councillors, and a secretary-general (who normally also serves as a state councillor) all assist the premier. The premier leads the Leading Party Members Group, which responsible for overseeing the implementation of CCP Central Committee policies in the State Council.

Each vice premier oversees certain areas of administration in support of the premier. In practice, the vice premiers and State Councillors assume responsibility for one or more sectors or issues, and remain in contact with the various bodies responsible for policy related to that area. This allows the Standing Committee to oversee a wide range of government functions. Each State Councillor performs duties as designated by the Premier. The secretary-general heads the General Office which handles the day-to-day work of the State Council.

The State Council includes 26 constituent departments, and oversees the province-level governments throughout China. 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. The establishment, dissolution, or merger of the constituent departments are proposed by the premier and decided by the NPC or its Standing Committee. Bureaus and administrations rank below ministries. In addition to the ministries, there are 38 centrally administered government organizations that report directly to the state council. The heads of these organizations attend full meetings of the state committee on an irregular basis.[citation needed]

The State Council controls the Ministry for National Defense but does not control the People's Liberation Army, which is instead controlled by the Central Military Commission (CMC). The State Council previously had joint command over the People's Armed Police (PAP) together with the CMC, principally through the Ministry of Public Security, though 2018 reforms placed the PAP solely under CMC command.: 15 

Meetings

The plenary meeting of the State Council meets every six months, composed of all members of the State Council. Between meetings it is guided by an executive meeting of the State Council which is held two to three times a month, and can be called at the discretion of the premier. The Executive Meeting is composed of the premier, vice premiers, state councilors, and the secretary-general.

Members

Executive Meeting

Members of the Executive Meeting of the 14th State Council (March 2023 – March 2028)
# Office Portrait Name Party Party memberships
1 Premier Li Qiang

李强

CCP Politburo Standing Committee

Secretary, Leading Party Members Group

2 Vice Premier

(first-ranked)

Ding Xuexiang

丁薛祥

CCP Politburo Standing Committee

Deputy Secretary, Leading Party Members Group

3 Vice Premier He Lifeng

何立峰

CCP Politburo

Leading Party Members Group

4 Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing

张国清

CCP Politburo

Leading Party Members Group

5 Vice Premier Liu Guozhong

刘国中

CCP Politburo

Leading Party Members Group

6 State Councillor

Minister of Public Security

Wang Xiaohong

王小洪

CCP Secretariat

Deputy Secretary, Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission Leading Party Members Group

7 State Councillor

Secretary-General of the State Council

Wu Zhenglong

吴政隆

CCP Leading Party Members Group

Secretary, State Council Organs Party Group [zh]

8 State Councillor Shen Yiqin

谌贻琴

CCP Leading Party Members Group

See also

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