Politburo endorses draft restructuring plan
Restructuring plan is to be formally adopted by NPC in two weeks along with leadership transition, but changes are not expected to be radical
The Politburo yesterday endorsed a draft of a State Council restructuring plan that will be tabled for approval in the National People's Congress in two weeks' time.
The draft proposes reform and the reassignment of duties of various organisations under the State Council. Xinhua quoted the Politburo as saying the restructuring was a priority, as it was crucial for administrative reform.
However, the statement also hinted that the restructuring would not be radical.
Xinhua gave no details of the restructuring, but a report by mainland magazine Caijing yesterday cited anonymous sources as saying the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the State Oceanic Administration would be expanded and given more responsibilities.
Monitoring food safety, which is now taken up by several departments, would also be reorganised, Caijing said.
The meeting, chaired by Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping, who will be formally named state president at the NPC meeting, also endorsed nominations to key government leadership posts, Xinhua reported. The list will be endorsed by the NPC as a formality.