State Councilor Wang Zhongyu Thursday unveiled a draft plan to
restructure government agencies, which involves the establishment
of new government agencies and the removal of some old ones, at the
second plenary meeting of the First Session of the 10th National
People's Congress (NPC).
Commission for Managing State Properties
China plans to set up a state property regulatory and management
commission, in an effort to deepen the reform of state properties
management.
Wang was explaining a draft plan to restructure government agencies
at the annual NPC session. The State Council proposed the reform
package to the current NPC session for examination and
approval.
Banking Regulatory Commission
China will set up a commission to regulate and supervise its
banking industry.
The move is part of a State Council-proposed plan which will cut
the number of ministries and commissions to 28 from 29.
State Development and Reform Commission
China will reorganize the State Development Planning Commission, a
key department under the State Council in charge of macroeconomic
planning, into the State Development and Reform Commission, in an
effort to improve its macroeconomic control system.
Ministry of Commerce
The State Council, or China's cabinet, will set up a new agency,
the Ministry of Commerce, to promote reform of the circulation
system.
Government Reform Stresses Food and Production Safety
Wang Zhongyu said that a state food and drug administration will be
established on the basis of the State Drug Administration in a bid
to reinforce supervision over the safety of food, health products
and cosmetics, while the State Administration of Work Safety will
be upgraded to strengthen supervision over production and coal
mining safety.
Remove Two Government Agencies
China will remove the State Economic and Trade Commission and the
Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.
The functions of the two agencies will be exercised by the proposed
Ministry of Commerce.
Rename State Family Planning Commission
China's State Family Planning Commission will be changed to the
State Population and Family Planning Commission, in an effort to
beef up research of the population development strategy.
(China.org.cn March 6, 2003)