National Public Complaints and Proposals Administration explained

Agency Name:National Public Complaints and Proposals Administration
Formed:13 February 2000
Headquarters:Xicheng, Beijing, China
Chief1 Name:Li Wenzhang
Chief1 Position:Director
Parent Agency:State Council

The National Public Complaints and Proposals Administration is a deputy-cabinet level agency directly under the State Council of China. It is the national ombudsman office of the People's Republic of China.

The office has its roots in the Bureau of Letters and Calls, founded in 1977 under the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). A State Council equivalent was established in 1980, and both offices were merged in 1986. Further reforms led to the establishment of the National Bureau of Letters and Calls in 2000, which assumed its current name in 2016.

The office is responsible for hearing public complaints and proposals against various levels of government agencies nationwide. It is under the leadership of the Social Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee since March 2023. The current director of NPCPA is Li Wenzhang, one of the Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council.

History

In 1977, the Bureau of Letters and Calls was founded under the CCP General Office in order to overhaul the petitioning system of China.[1] [2] This was followed by the establishment of the Bureau of Letters and Calls of the General Office of the State Council in 1980. In 1986, both offices were merged, and further reforms led to the creation of the National Bureau of Letters and Calls in 2000, which was renamed to the National Public Complaints and Proposals Administration in English in 2016.

In 2023, the Administration was placed directly under the State Council, previously being subordinate to its General Office. It was also placed under the "unified leadership" of the newly-established Social Work Department of the CCP.[3]

Functions

The National Public Complaints and Proposals Administration is the main petitioning office of China, responsible for hearing public complaints and proposals against various levels of government agencies nationwide.[4] [5] In addition to the national level, the agency includes provincial, city and county-level offices.

Leadership

Directors

NameChinese nameTook officeLeft office
Zhou ZhanshunChinese: 周占顺July 2000February 2004
Wang XuejunChinese: 王学军February 2004March 2013
Shu XiaoqinChinese: 舒晓琴April 2013April 2020
Li WenzhangChinese: 李文章9 April 2020Incumbent

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Chen . Stella . 20 May 2022 . Petitioning . 6 September 2023 . China Media Project.
  2. Tang . Xiaotian . 2010-03-01 . Reforms in the petition letter and visit system of China and construction of a harmonious society . . en . 5 . 1 . 77–90 . 10.1007/s11463-010-0004-5 . 1673-3541 . 154003316.
  3. Web site: 中共中央 国务院印发《党和国家机构改革方案》_中国经济网——国家经济门户 . 2023-03-16 . Economic Daily.
  4. Web site: 2017-08-23 . Fewer Chinese citizens filing petitions against government . 2019-06-04 . . en.
  5. News: 2017-04-11 . Corruption at top rung of China's ancient petition system sparks calls for reform . en . . 2019-06-04.