NPC meets to hear government reshuffle plan
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-11 15:22

BEIJING - China's lawmakers met on Tuesday to hear explanations of a government reshuffle plan involving the establishments of a new ministerial level energy commission, an industry and information ministry and a consolidated transport ministry.

According to the planned institutional restructuring of the State Council, China will establish a national energy commission, an inter-ministerial consultation and coordination body, said State Councilor Hua Jianmin.

The proposed institutional restructuring, an important part of China's overall plan to deepen reforms in the administrative system, is a continuation of the previous five major government reshuffles over the past 30 years, said Hua.

Under the plan, China will establish larger departments that organically integrate the functions of smaller departments, he said.

It will also "rearrange, in a more rational manner, functions of government departments that exercise macroeconomic regulation, strengthen energy and environment agencies, integrate bodies in charge of industrial administration and information, form a transport ministry, and enhance departments responsible for public administration and public services," he said.

Hua, who explained the reshuffle plan to deputies to the 11th National People's Congress at a plenary session, said the country will form a state energy bureau, which will be under the jurisdiction of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

In a second major move, China plans to form a ministry of industry and information to integrate relavant functions of the NDRC, the Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense, Ministry of Information Industry and the State Council Informatization Office.

The planned restructuring will also include a consolidated ministry of transport, which will replace the Ministry of Communications and the General Administration of Civil Aviation.

Under the new ministry will be a newly formed state civil aviation bureau, and the State Post Bureau, previously under the Ministry of Information Industry.

The reshuffle plan also includes the establishment of ministry of human resources and social security, combining the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. A state bureau of civil servants will be formed under the new ministry.

The plan also includes elevation of the State Environmental Protection Administration to the ministry of environmental protection and a new ministry for housing and urban, rural construction to replace the Ministry of Construction.

The State Food and Drug Administration will be put under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health, to clarify the health ministry's responsibility in ensuring food and drug safety.

The reshuffle involves 15 government departments and reduces the number of Cabinet ministries and commissions to 27 from the current 28.