State Council of China

{{Main|Constituent departments of the State Council}}{{See also|Institutional reform of the State Council}}

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".{{Cite web |title=Constitution of the People's Republic of China |url=http://en.npc.gov.cn.cdurl.cn/constitution.html |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=National People's Congress |archive-date=2022-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103102453/http://en.npc.gov.cn.cdurl.cn/constitution.html |url-status=live }} 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.{{Cite web |last=Zheng |first=William |date=2024-03-06 |title=Xi's dominance in Chinese politics to grow with change to State Council: expert |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3254387/chinas-communist-party-get-deeper-control-over-state-council-led-premier-li-qiang-ties-are-redefined |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240307115123/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3254387/chinas-communist-party-get-deeper-control-over-state-council-led-premier-li-qiang-ties-are-redefined |archive-date=2024-03-07 |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en |quote=It includes specific clauses saying the council will closely follow the Communist Party’s ideology, leadership and instructions, further defining its role as faithful policy implementer of the ruling party.}}{{Cite news |date=March 11, 2024 |title=China passes law granting Communist Party more control over cabinet |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-passes-law-granting-communist-party-more-control-over-cabinet-2024-03-11/ |access-date=March 11, 2024 |work=Reuters|author-first1=Mei Mei|author-last1=Chu|author-first2=Laurie|author-last2=Chen}} The law also stipulates the State Council must follow the CCP's ideology and policies.

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{{Cite book |last=Li |first=David Daokui |title=China's World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict |date=2024 |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-0393292398 |location=New York, NY |author-link=David Daokui Li}}{{Rp|page=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.{{Cite news |date=21 November 2012 |title=China's backroom power brokers block reform candidates |work=South China Morning Post |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1087355/chinas-backroom-power-brokers-block-reform-candidates |access-date=26 September 2021 |archive-date=13 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413084516/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1087355/chinas-backroom-power-brokers-block-reform-candidates |url-status=live }} 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.{{Cite web |last=Wei |first=Changhao |date=2024-03-11 |title=NPC 2024: Annotated Translation of the Revised State Council Organic Law |url=https://npcobserver.com/2024/03/china-npc-2024-state-council-organic-law/ |access-date=2024-04-15 |website=NPC Observer |language=en-US}} The premier leads the Leading Party Members Group, which responsible for overseeing the implementation of CCP Central Committee policies in the State Council.{{Cite web |last=He |first=Alex |date=December 2018 |title=The Emerging Model of Economic Policy Making under Xi Jinping |url=https://www.cigionline.org/static/documents/documents/CIGI%20Paper%20No.208.pdf |access-date=8 March 2025 |website=Centre for International Governance Innovation}}

Each vice premier oversees certain areas of administration in support of the premier.{{Cite news |last=He |first=Laura |date=4 March 2023 |title=Meet the 4 men tapped to run China's economy |work=CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/01/economy/china-economic-financial-leadership-reshuffle-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=19 June 2023 |archive-date=19 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619140957/https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/01/economy/china-economic-financial-leadership-reshuffle-intl-hnk/index.html |url-status=live }} 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.{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Neil |date=5 April 2023 |title=What are the Policy Assignments of China's New State Council Leadership? |url=https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/what-are-policy-assignments-chinas-new-state-council-leadership |access-date=19 June 2023 |website=Asia Society |archive-date=13 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413232716/https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/what-are-policy-assignments-chinas-new-state-council-leadership |url-status=live }} 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.{{Cite web |last1=Cheng |first1=Li |last2=Prytherch |first2=Mallie |date=7 March 2023 |title=China's new State Council: What analysts might have missed |url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2023/03/07/chinas-new-state-council-what-analysts-might-have-missed/ |access-date=19 June 2023 |website=Brookings Institution |archive-date=19 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619140957/https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2023/03/07/chinas-new-state-council-what-analysts-might-have-missed/ |url-status=live }} 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|date=November 2023}}

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).{{Cite journal |last=Boswell |first=Matthew |date=2009 |title=Media Relations in China's Military: The Case of the Ministry of National Defense Information Office |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24904949 |journal=Asia Policy |issue=8 |pages=97–120 |jstor=24904949 |issn=1559-0968 |access-date=2023-10-24 |archive-date=2023-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103045613/https://www.jstor.org/stable/24904949 |url-status=live }} 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.{{cite book |last=Wuthnow |first=Joel |url=https://inss.ndu.edu/Portals/82/China%20SP%2014%20Final%20for%20Web.pdf |title=China's Other Army: The People's Armed Police in an Era of Reform |date=16 April 2019 |publisher=Institute for National Strategic Studies |location=Washington |access-date=3 October 2019 |archive-date=4 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704193636/https://inss.ndu.edu/Portals/82/China%20SP%2014%20Final%20for%20Web.pdf |url-status=live }}{{rp|15}}

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.{{Cite news |last=Zheng |first=William |date=28 March 2023 |title=New work rules for China's State Council put the party firmly in charge |work=South China Morning Post |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3215029/new-work-rules-chinas-state-council-put-party-firmly-charge |access-date=19 June 2023 |archive-date=19 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619130544/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3215029/new-work-rules-chinas-state-council-put-party-firmly-charge |url-status=live }} The Executive Meeting is composed of the premier, vice premiers, state councilors, and the secretary-general.

{{Excerpt|Executive meeting of the State Council#Current executive meeting}}

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• Department of State Affairs in the Three Departments and Six Ministries system
• Ming dynasty: Central Secretariat → Grand Secretariat
• Qing dynasty: Grand Secretariat → Grand Council → Cabinet
• Republic of China: State Council (1912–28) → Executive Yuan (1928–present)
• People's Republic of China: Government Administration Council of the Central People's Government (1949–54); Constituent departments of the PRC

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China, People's Republic of, State Council

Category:Government agencies established in 1954

Category:1954 establishments in China