The State Council, that is, the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China, is the executive body of the highest organ of state power; it is the highest organ of the state administration. It is responsible and reports on its work to the National People's Congress, or when the National People's Congress is not in session, to its Standing Committee. It is composed of the following:

the Premier;
the Vice Premiers;
the State Councilors;
the Ministers in charge of ministries;
the Ministers in charge of commissions;
the Auditor General; and
the Secretary General.

The Premier assumes overall responsibility for the work of the State Council. The Ministers assume overall responsibility for the work of the ministries and commissions. The Premier directs the work of the State Council. The Vice Premiers and State Councilors assist the Premier in his work.

Executive meetings of the State Council are to be attended by the Premier, the Vice Premiers, the State Councilors and the Secretary General of the State Council.

The State Council exercises the following functions and powers:

(1) to adopt administrative measures, enact administrative rules and regulations and issue decisions and orders in accordance with the Constitution and the law;
(2) to submit proposals to the National People's Congress or its Standing Committee;
(3) to formulate the tasks and responsibilities of the ministries and commissions of the State Council, to exercise unified leadership over the work of the ministries and commissions and direct all other administrative work of a national character that does not fall within the jurisdiction of the ministries and commissions;
(4) to exercise unified leadership over the work of local organs of state administration at various levels throughout the country, and to formulate the detailed division of functions and powers between the Central Government and the organs of state administration of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government;
(5) to draw up and implement the plan for national economic and social development of the state budget;
(6) to direct and administer economic affairs and urban and rural development;
(7) to direct and administer the affairs of education, science, culture, public health, physical culture and family planning;
(8) to direct and administer civil affairs, public security, judicial administration, supervision and other related matters;
(9) to conduct foreign affairs and conclude treaties and agreements with foreign states;
(10) to direct and administer the building of national defense;
(11) to direct and administer affairs concerning the nationalities and to safeguard the equal rights of minority nationalities and the right to autonomy of the national autonomous areas;
(12) to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals residing abroad and protect the lawful rights and interests of returned overseas Chinese and of the family members of Chinese nationals residing abroad;
(13) to alter or annul inappropriate orders, directives and regulations issued by the ministries or commissions;
(14) to alter or annul inappropriate decisions and orders issued by local organs of state administration at various levels;
(15) to approve the geographic division of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, and to approve the establishment and geographic division of autonomous prefectures, counties, autonomous counties, and cities;
(16) to decide on the imposition of martial law in parts of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government;
(17) to examine and decide on the size of administrative organs and, in accordance with the law, to appoint or remove administrative officials, train them, appraise their performance and reward or punish them; and
(18) to exercise such other functions and powers as the National People's Congress or its Standing Committee may assign to it.

Ministers in charge of the ministries or commissions of the State Council are responsible for the work of their respective departments and they convene and preside over ministerial meetings for general and executive meetings of the commissions to discuss and decide major issues in the work of their respective departments.

The ministries and commissions issues orders, directives and regulations within the jurisdiction of their respective departments in accordance with the law and the administrative rules and regulations, decisions and orders issued by the State Council.

See the profile of current Premier, Mr. Zhu Rongji

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