How Does the Chinese Government Work?

Politburo - Standing Committee

The Chinese government manages the operational, administrative, domestic enforcement and military policies of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). At the top of the pyramid is the Standing Committee. The committee has five to nine members (varying by generation or party requirement), and all decisions are made on a consensus basis. Members meet weekly. It is important to understand the difference between national policy projection and daily government in China. In this case we will define both to offer a general overview.

Politburo

The Politburo has 22 members. These Individuals manage overarching state and regional functions throughout China. The full Politburo meets once a month to plan and ratify practical policy mechanisms as set by the CCP and the Standing Committee.

Secretariat

This Secretariat is the administrative organ of the CCP, and is subordinate to the Standing Committee and the Politburo. This committee is chaired by the general secretary of the Politburo. This group is primarily focused on personnel management and does not get involved in the policy-making or direct management processes.

Military Commission

The Military Commission is a governmental organ that exercises command and control over the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). This group has 11 members, most of whom are senior generals. They are primarily concerned with officer appointments, troop deployments and the management of arms purchases.

Discipline Inspectorate

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China is focused on domestic corruption. This government organ has 10 members and reports directly to the Politburo.

Urban Versus Regional Government

In urban areas such as Beijing or Shanghai, Politburo members typically exert direct influence on daily management and administrative decisions. However, in rural provinces, local managers are responsible for direct policy, and administrative action.

How the Provincial Process Works

In the provinces, management devolves to a hierarchy controlled by a Provincial Party Chief, who in turn manages four progressively smaller societal levels. These are the prefecture, the county, the township and the village. At each level, a reporting manager exerts control on a subordinate manager, until individuals are entirely subsumed within a bureaucratic framework.

A Real Scenario

Say that you are a villager and you have a daughter who attends the village school. Your daughter comes home one afternoon and announces that she, along with her schoolmates, would like to get a class computer so they can learn more about the world outside Chongqing Prefecture. In response, Dad, along with the other dads, talk to the school administrator, who takes the request to the village mayor, who in turn talks to the township mayor, who will talk to the county mayor. This process continues until the request is delivered to the Chongqing party chief, who then takes the request to the appropriate Politburo member in Beijing for a decision. Once the request is accepted or denied, the inverse process occurs down the chain, until the kids either get the computer or they don't.

References

• Chinese Government And Structure
• China Org