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direct-administered municipality

{{Short description|Highest level of classification for cities in China}}

{{For|the four direct-administered municipalities|Beijing|Chongqing|Shanghai|Tianjin}}

{{More citations needed|date=January 2015}}

{{Infobox subdivision type

| name = Municipality
{{lower|0.1em|{{nobold|{{lang|zh-hans|直辖市}}}}}}
{{nobold|{{transl|zh|Zhíxiáshì}}}}

| alt_name =

| map = 300px

| start_date =

| current_number = 4 (Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin)

| number_date =

}}

{{Administrative levels and divisions of China sidebar}}

A direct-administered municipality ({{zh|s=直辖市|p=Zhíxiáshì|labels=no|l=}}; {{Literal translation|direct-administered city}}; commonly known as municipality{{Cite web |date=Aug 26, 2014 |title=Administrative Division |url=http://english.www.gov.cn/archive/china_abc/2014/08/27/content_281474983873401.htm |access-date=2021-07-21 |website=The State Council of the People's Republic of China}}) is a provincial-level administrative division in China. The municipalities are directly affiliated to the central government. There are four municipalities in China: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin.

Although being as a city by name, a Chinese municipality is more than a city in a traditional sense. It is equivalent to a province as it usually composed of a central urban area and a number of much larger surrounding suburban and rural areas.

History

During the Republic of China, the first municipalities were the 11 cities of Nanjing, Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Qingdao, Chongqing, Xi'an, Guangzhou, Hankou (now part of Wuhan), Shenyang, and Harbin. They were established in 1927 soon after they were designated as "cities" during the 1920s. Nominally, Dalian was a municipality as well, although it was under Japanese control. These cities were first called special municipalities/cities ({{zh|s=特别市|p=tèbiéshì|labels=no}}), but were later renamed Yuan-controlled municipalities ({{zh|s=院辖市|p=yuànxiáshì|labels=no}}), then direct-controlled municipalities ({{zh|s=直辖市|p=zhíxiáshì|labels=no}}) by the Central Government of the People's Republic of China.

After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Anshan, Benxi, and Fushun were also made municipalities, while Qingdao, Dalian, and Harbin were reduced to provincial municipalities.{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=http://www.xzqh.org.cn/ONEWS_zq.asp?id=1071 |title=中华人民共和国行政区划（1949年）|date=2006-06-27 |website=xzqh.org.cn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318203829/http://www.xzqh.org.cn/ONEWS_zq.asp?id=1071|archive-date=March 18, 2009}} Hankou was merged into Wuhan, which became a municipality of its own. Hence, there remained 12 municipalities. In November 1952, Nanjing was reduced to a provincial municipality in Jiangsu.{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=http://www.xzqh.org.cn/ONEWS_zq.asp?id=1076 |title=中华人民共和国行政区划（1952年） |date=2006-06-27 |website=xzqh.org.cn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318203843/http://www.xzqh.org.cn/ONEWS_zq.asp?id=1076|archive-date=March 18, 2009}} In March 1953, Lüda, which had resulted from the merger of Dalian and Lüshun in December 1950, was made a municipality. In July 1953, Harbin was restored to municipality status, whereas Changchun acquired that status for the first time.{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=http://www.xzqh.org.cn/ONEWS_zq.asp?id=1077 |date=2006-06-27 |website=xzqh.org.cn |title=中华人民共和国行政区划（1953年） |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090319162836/http://www.xzqh.org.cn/ONEWS_zq.asp?id=1077|archive-date=March 19, 2009}} Except Beijing and Tianjin, which were under central control, all other municipalities were governed by the greater administrative areas.

In June 1954, 11 of the 14 municipalities were reduced to sub-provincial cities; many of them became capitals of the provinces they were in. Only Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin remained municipalities, until Chongqing was restored as a municipality in 1997 with a much enlarged area. Tianjin was also temporarily reverted to sub-provincial city status between 1958 and 1967.{{cn|date=November 2023}}

Position in hierarchy

Municipalities are the highest-ranked cities in the PRC. Some cities of lower levels may also refer to themselves as municipalities in the English language.

Three levels of cities in the People's Republic of China:

  1. Municipalities ({{zh|s=直辖市|t=直轄市|p=zhíxiáshì|labels=no}});
  2. Prefecture-level cities ({{zh|s=地级市|t=地級市|p=dìjíshì|labels=no}}), including sub-provincial cities; and,
  3. County-level cities ({{zh|s=县级市|t=縣級市|p=xiànjíshì|labels=no}}), including sub-prefectural cities.

Administration

In municipalities, the highest ranking government official is the mayor. The mayor is also a delegate in the National People's Congress (the legislature){{cite web|url=http://www.10thnpc.org.cn/english/government/57198.htm |access-date=February 21, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121052606/http://www.10thnpc.org.cn/english/government/57198.htm |archive-date=November 21, 2008 |title=Chongqing Mayor: Government Must Place Service Above Anything Else |date= March 3, 2003|publisher= Xinhua News Agency }} and deputy secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Municipal Committee. However, the highest administrative authority in the municipality belongs to the Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary.

Current municipalities

class="wikitable sortable" width=100% style="font-size:100%;" align=center
align="right"|{{small|ISO}}ISO 3166-2:CN (ISO 3166-2 codes for the provinces of China)

!align="left"|{{small|Division name}}

!align="left"|{{small|Simplified Chinese}}

!align="left"|{{small|Hanyu Pinyin}}

!align="left"|{{small|Abbr.}}

!align="right"|{{small|Population}}{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/newsandcomingevents/t20110428_402722244.htm |title=Communiqué of the National Bureau of Statistics of People's Republic of China on Major Figures of the 2010 Population Census (No. 1) |publisher=National Bureau of Statistics of China |date=April 28, 2011 |access-date=July 19, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115173048/http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/newsandcomingevents/t20110428_402722244.htm |archive-date=January 15, 2013 }}

!align="right"|{{small|Area (km2)}}

!align="left"|{{small|Divisions}}

!align="left"|{{small|City seat}}

!align="left"|{{small|Origin Province
(split date)}}

!align="left"|{{small|Origin Prefecture}}

!align="left"|{{small|Origin County}}

CN-11

| Beijing

| {{lang|zh|北京市}}

| {{transl|zh|Běijīng Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|京}} {{transl|zh|jīng}}

| 19,612,368

| 16,801

| List {{small|(16 districts)}}

| Tongzhou

| Hebei
{{small|(Oct. 1949)}}

| Shuntian

| Daxing

CN-12

| Tianjin

| {{lang|zh|天津市}}

| {{transl|zh|Tiānjīn Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|津}} {{transl|zh|jīn}}

| 12,938,224

| 11,760

| List {{small|(16 districts)}}

| Hexi

| Hebei
{{small|(Jan. 1967)}}

| Tianjin

| Tianjin

CN-31

| Shanghai

| {{lang|zh|上海市}}

| {{transl|zh|Shànghǎi Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|沪}} {{transl|zh|hù}}

| 23,019,148

| 6,340

| List {{small|(16 districts)}}

| Huangpu

| Jiangsu
{{small|(Mar. 1927)}}

| Songjiang

| Shanghai

CN-50

| Chongqing

| {{lang|zh|重庆市}}

| {{transl|zh|Chóngqìng Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|渝}} {{transl|zh|yú}}

| 28,846,170
{{small|(City Core 16,240,026)}}

| 82,300
{{small|(City Core 6,268)}}

| List {{small|(26 districts, 8 counties, & 4 autonomous counties)
(City Core: 19 districts)}}

| Yuzhong

| Sichuan
{{small|(May 1997)}}

| Chongqing

| Ba

=Government=

class=wikitable

!rowspan=2|Name

! colspan="2" |Communist Party!! colspan="2" |Executive!! colspan="2" |Legislature

Party Committee

!Party Secretary

!Government

MayorCity CouncilNo. of seats
Beijing

|Beijing Municipal Party Committee

|Yin Li

Beijing Municipal People's GovernmentYin YongBeijing Municipal People's Congress755
Tianjin

|Tianjin Municipal Party Committee

|Chen Min'er

Tianjin Municipal People's GovernmentZhang GongTianjin Municipal People's Congress706
Shanghai

|Shanghai Municipal Party Committee

|Chen Jining

Shanghai Municipal People's GovernmentGong ZhengShanghai Municipal People's Congress855
Chongqing

|Chongqing Municipal Party Committee

|Yuan Jiajun

Chongqing Municipal People's GovernmentHu HenghuaChongqing Municipal People's Congress860

Former ROC and PRC municipalities

class="wikitable sortable" width=100% style="font-size: 100%;" align="center"
{{small|Name}}

! {{small|Simplified Chinese}}

! {{small|Pinyin}}

! {{small|Abbr.}}

! {{small|City seat}}

! {{small|Administration period}}

! {{small|Original province}}

! {{small|Original prefecture}}

! {{small|Original county}}

Jingdu

| {{lang|zh|京都市}}

| {{transl|zh|Jīngdū Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|京}} {{transl|zh|jīng}}

| Dongcheng

| 1921–1927

| Zhili
{{small|(present province: Hebei)}}

| Shuntian

| Daxing

Jingu

| {{lang|zh|津沽市}}

| {{transl|zh|Jīngū Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|津}} {{transl|zh|jīn}}

| Heping

| 1921–1927

| Zhili
{{small|(present province: Hebei)}}

| Tianjin

| Tianjin

Songhu

| {{lang|zh|淞沪市}}

| {{transl|zh|Sōnghù Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|沪}} {{transl|zh|hù}}

| Huangpu

| 1921–1927

| Jiangsu

| Songjiang

| Shanghai

Qingdao

| {{lang|zh|青岛市}}

| {{transl|zh|Qīngdǎo Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|青}} {{transl|zh|qīng}}

| Shinan

| 1921–1927, 1929–1949

| Shandong

| Jiaozhou

| Jiao

Harbin

| {{lang|zh|哈尔滨市}}

| {{transl|zh|Hārbīn Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|哈}} {{transl|zh|hā}}

| Nangang

| 1921–1927, 1947–1949, 1953–1954

| Songjiang
{{small|(present province: Heilongjiang)}}

| Binzhou

| Bin

Hankou

| {{lang|zh|汉口市}}

| Hànkǒu Shì

| {{lang|zh|汉}} {{transl|zh|hàn}}

| Jiang'an

| 1921–1927, 1929–1931, 1947–1949

| Hubei

| Hanyang

| Hanyang

Wuxi

| {{lang|zh|无锡市}}

| {{transl|zh|Wúxī Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|锡}} {{transl|zh|xī}}

| Binhu

| 1921–1927

| Jiangsu

| Changzhou

| Wuxi

Hangzhou

| {{lang|zh|杭州市}}

| {{transl|zh|Hángzhōu Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|杭}} {{transl|zh|háng}}

| Gongshu

| 1921–1927

| Zhejiang

| Hangzhou

| Yuhang

Ningbo

| {{lang|zh|宁波市}}

| {{transl|zh|Níngbō Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|甬}} {{transl|zh|yǒng}}

| Yinzhou

| 1921–1927

| Zhejiang

| Ningbo

| Yin

Anqing

| {{lang|zh|安庆市}}

| {{transl|zh|Ānqìng Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|安}} {{transl|zh|ān}}

| Daguan

| 1921–1927

| Anhui

| Anqing

| Huaining

Nanchang

| {{lang|zh|南昌市}}

| {{transl|zh|Nánchāng Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|洪}} {{transl|zh|hóng}}

| Donghu

| 1921–1927

| Jiangxi

| Nanchang

| Nanchang

Wuchang

| {{lang|zh|武昌市}}

| {{transl|zh|Wǔchāng Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|武}} {{transl|zh|wǔ}}

| Wuchang

| 1921–1927

| Hubei

| Wuchang

| Jiangxia

Guangzhou

| {{lang|zh|广州市}}

| {{transl|zh|Guǎngzhōu Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|穗}} {{transl|zh|suì}}

| Yuexiu

| 1921–1927, 1930, 1947–1954

| Guangdong

| Guangzhou

| Panyu
Nanhai

Wuzhou

| {{lang|zh|梧州市}}

| {{transl|zh|Wúzhōu Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|梧}} {{transl|zh|wú}}

| Changzhou

| 1921–1927

| Guangxi

| Wuzhou

| Cangwu

Nanjing

| {{lang|zh|南京市}}

| {{transl|zh|Nánjīng Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|宁}} {{transl|zh|níng}}

| Xuanwu

| 1927–1952

| Jiangsu

| Jiangning

| Jiangning

Xi'an

| {{lang|zh|西安市}}

| {{transl|zh|Xī'ān Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|鎬}} {{transl|zh|hào}}

| Weiyang

| 1927–1954

| Shaanxi

| Xi'an

| Chang'an

Wuhan

| {{lang|zh|武汉市}}

| {{transl|zh|Wǔhàn Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|汉}} {{transl|zh|hàn}}

| Jiang'an

| 1927–1929, 1949

| Hubei

| Hanyang
Wuchang

| Hanyang
Jiangxia

Beiping

| {{lang|zh|北平市}}

| {{transl|zh|Jīngdū Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|平}} {{transl|zh|píng}}

| Dongcheng

| 1928–1949

| Zhili
{{small|(present province: Hebei)}}

| Shuntian

| Daxing

Dalian

| {{lang|zh|大连市}}

| {{transl|zh|Dàlián Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|连}} {{transl|zh|lián}}

| Xigang

| 1947–1949

| Andong/Liaodong
{{small|(present province: Liaoning)}}

| Jinzhou

| Ninghai

Shenyang

| {{lang|zh|沈阳市}}

| {{transl|zh|Shěnyáng Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|沈}} {{transl|zh|shěn}}

| Shenhe

| 1947–1954

| Liaoxi
{{small|(present province: Liaoning)}}

| Fengtian

| Fengtian

Anshan

| {{lang|zh|鞍山市}}

| {{transl|zh|Ānshān Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|鞍}} {{transl|zh|ān}}

| Tiedong

| 1949–1954

| Andong/Liaodong
{{small|(present province: Liaoning)}}

| Liaoyang

| Haicheng
Liaoyang

Benxi

| {{lang|zh|本溪市}}

| {{transl|zh|Běnxī Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|本}} {{transl|zh|běn}}

| Pingshan

| 1949–1954

| Andong/Liaodong
{{small|(present province: Liaoning)}}

| Fengtian

| Benxi

Fushun

| {{lang|zh|抚顺市}}

| {{transl|zh|Fǔshùn Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|抚}} {{transl|zh|fǔ}}

| Xinfu

| 1949–1954

| Andong/Liaodong
{{small|(present province: Liaoning)}}

| Fengtian

| Fushun

Lüda

| {{lang|zh|旅大市}}

| {{transl|zh|Lǚdà Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|旅}} {{transl|zh|lǚ}}

| Xigang

| 1950–1954

| Lüda
{{small|(present province: Liaoning)}}

| Jinzhou

| Ninghai

Changchun

| {{lang|zh|长春市}}

| {{transl|zh|Chángchūn Shì}}

| {{lang|zh|春}} {{transl|zh|chūn}}

| Nanguan

| 1953–1954

| Jilin

| Changchun

| Changchun

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Commons category-inline|Municipalities in China}}

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{{Province-level divisions of the People's Republic of China}}

{{Administrative divisions of Taiwan navbar}}

{{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of Asian countries}}

*Direct-controlled municipalities

Category:Territorial disputes of the Republic of China