BEIJING: A restructured ministry, a new national financial regulatory administration and a new bureau are some of the major changes in the latest institutional reform plan for the State Council, China’s cabinet.
Passed at the third plenary meeting of the First Session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) on March 10, the reform plan is the ninth round of reorganization of State Council institutions since the reform and opening-up policy was first introduced in 1978 and the largest one since 2018.
A highlight of the reform is the restructuring of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). Established in 1998, the MOST used to deal with almost everything related to science and technology.
Under the reform plan, some departments of the MOST will be merged into other ministries. The function of organizing and formulating plans for promoting scientific and technological development in agriculture and rural areas, for example, will be transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
The responsibilities of formulating policies for the growth and industrialization of hi-tech industries will be taken by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The duty of managing foreign experts will be undertaken by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
–The Daily Mail-Beijing Review news exchange item
