Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China

The Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China (Chinese: 中华人民共和国国防部; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Guófángbù), or the "National Defense Ministry" (Chinese: 国防部; pinyin: Guófángbù) for short, is the second-ranked cabinet level executive department under the State Council. It is headed by the Minister of National Defense.

Quick facts: Agency overview, Formed, Type, Jurisdiction, ... ▼

Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China

中华人民共和国国防部 Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Guófángbù
Emblem of the People's Republic of China
August 1st Building
Agency overview
Formed	28 September 1954; 69 years ago (1954-09-28)
Type	Constituent Department of the State Council (cabinet-level executive department)
Jurisdiction	Government of China
Headquarters	Ministry of National Defense Compound ("August 1st Building"), Fuxing Road, Beijing
Agency executive	General Li Shangfu, Minister of National Defense
Parent agency	State Council Central Military Commission
Website	eng.mod.gov.cn (in English)

Armed Forces of the People's Republic of China
Executive departments
Central Military Commission Ministry of National Defense of the PRC
Staff
Chairman of the CMC Joint Staff Department of the CMC Political Work Department of the CMC Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CMC
Services
People's Liberation Army  Ground Force  Navy  Air Force Rocket Force Strategic Support Force
Independent troops
People's Armed Police Militia
Special operations force
PLA Special Operations Forces Special Police Unit of the PAP Snow Leopard Commando Unit Mountain Eagle Commando Unit
Other troops
PLA Joint Logistics Support Force
Military districts
Eastern Theater Command Southern Theater Command Western Theater Command Northern Theater Command Central Theater Command
History of the Chinese military
Military history of China
Military ranks of China
Ranks of the PLA Ground Force Ranks of the PLA Navy Ranks of the PLA Air Force
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Politics of China
Leadership Leadership generations Succession of power Hu–Wen Administration (2002–2012) Xi–Li Administration (2012–2017) Xi Administration (since 2017) 4th Leadership Core: Xi Jinping 20th Party Politburo: Xi Jinping 14th State Council: Li Qiang Current state leaders Current provincial leaders National leaders Orders of precedence Paramount leader: Xi Jinping First lady: Peng Liyuan Communist Party leader: Xi Jinping Head of state: Xi Jinping Head of government: Li Qiang Congress Chairman: Zhao Leji Conference Chairman: Wang Huning Commander-in-chief: Xi Jinping Politburo Standing Committee longest-serving members Related systems Democratic centralism Collective leadership Organization Department Elections Civil service
Communist Party History Principal leaders Constitution Admission Oath (Article 6) Organization National Party Congress (20th) Central Committee (20th) General Secretary (list) Xi Jinping Central Politburo (20th) Standing Committee (20th) Central Secretariat (20th) Central Military Commission Chairman: Xi Jinping Vice Chairmen: Zhang Youxia, He Weidong National Security Commission Chairman: Xi Jinping Vice-Chairman: Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Cai Qi Office Chief: Cai Qi Comprehensively Deepening Reforms Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy Directors: Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi Secretary-General: Wang Huning Financial & Economic Affairs Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy Director: Li Qiang Office Chief: He Lifeng General Office Director: Cai Qi Office of the General Secretary Chief: Cai Qi Central Guard Bureau Central Guard Unit Office of the Central Secrecy Commission Organization Department Head: Li Ganjie Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (20th) Standing Committee (20th) Secretary: Li Xi Provincial committee Standing committee Secretary Deputy secretaries Party group
United front Political Consultative Conference National Committee Chairman: Wang Huning Vice-Chairpersons Top-ranked: Shi Taifeng Secretary-General: Wang Dongfeng Political parties: CCP (ruling) United Front Work Department Head: Shi Taifeng RCCK CDL CDNCA CAPD CPWDP CZGP JS TDSL Historical parties: KMT CDSP CYP Federation of Industry and Commerce People's organizations
Ideology Socialism with Chinese characteristics Communism Marxism–Leninism Mao Zedong Thought Deng Xiaoping Theory Primary stage of socialism Four Cardinal Principles Three Represents Scientific Outlook on Development Harmonious Socialist Society Xi Jinping Thought Chinese Dream Four Comprehensives Two Establishes and Two Safeguards Other ideologies Anarchism Environmentalism Feminism Nationalism Democracy Views on democracy
Constitution Law Constitution Previous constitutions 1954 1975 1978 "People's democratic dictatorship" (Article 1) Democratic centralism (Article 3) Constitutional oath of office (Article 27) Protection of human rights (Article 33) Freedom of religion (Article 36) Chinese legal system Civil law tradition Socialist law tradition Laws Legislation Law List of statutes General Principles of the Civil Law (to 2020) Civil Code (From 2021) Marriage Law Labour law Labour Law Labour Contract Law Property law Property Law Intellectual property law Patent law Administrative law Administrative Procedure Law Criminal law Capital punishment Capital offences Death sentence with reprieve
Legislative National People's Congress (13th) Members Plenary sessions Voting results Presidium Standing Committee Chairman: Zhao Leji Vice-Chairpersons Top-ranked: Li Hongzhong Secretary-General: Liu Qi Council of Chairpersons Members Special committees Ethnic Affairs Constitution and Law Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Financial and Economic Affairs Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Foreign Affairs Overseas Chinese Affairs Environment Protection and Resources Conservation Agriculture and Rural Affairs Social Development Affairs Legislation Law Elections
Presidency President (list): Xi Jinping Presidential Office Chief: Cai Qi Vice President: Han Zheng
Executive State Council (Central People's Government) Li Qiang Cabinet Premier (list): Li Qiang Vice-Premiers (list) Ding Xuexiang He Lifeng Zhang Guoqing Liu Guozhong State Councilors Li Shangfu Wang Xiaohong Wu Zhenglong Shen Yiqin Qin Gang Secretary-General: Wu Zhenglong Cabinet-level departments National Development & Reform Commission Central bank National Audit Office General Office Secretary-General Deputy Secretaries-General State-owned Assets Supervision & Administration Commission most Central Enterprises
Military Central Military Commission (CMC) Chairman (supreme commander): Xi Jinping Vice Chairmen: Zhang Youxia He Weidong Members: Li Shangfu Liu Zhenli Miao Hua Zhang Shengmin Departments: General Office Director: Zhong Shaojun Joint Staff Dept. Chief: Liu Zhenli Political Work Dept. Director: Miao Hua Logistic Support Dept. Director: Zhang Lin Equipment Development Dept. Director: Xu Xueqiang Training and Administration Dept. Director: Wang Peng National Defense Mobilization Dept. Director: Liu Faqing Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary: Zhang Shengmin Politics and Legal Affairs Commission Science and Technology Commission Strategic Planning Office Reform & Organizational Structure Office Int'l Military Cooperation Office Audit Office Offices Administration Agency National armed forces: People's Liberation Army Theater commands People's Armed Police China Coast Guard Militia State Council National Defense Mobilization Commission Chairman: Li Qiang Ministry of National Defense Minister: Li Shangfu Ministry of Veterans Affairs State Administration for Sci., Tech. & Industry for National Defense Military history Armed conflicts Military modernization Military reform since 2015 CMC Leading Group for Military Reform Leader: Xi Jinping
Supervision Corruption in China Anti-corruption campaign since 2012 CCP Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (20th) Secretary: Li Xi Deputy Secretaries Yang Xiaodu Zhang Shengmin Liu Jinguo Yang Xiaochao Li Shulei Xu Lingyi Xiao Pei Chen Xiaojiang Secretary-General: Li Xinran National Supervisory Commission Director: Liu Jinguo Central Leading Group for Inspection Work Leader: Li Xi Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Central Military Commission Secretary: Zhang Shengmin Independent Commission Against Corruption (Hong Kong) Commission Against Corruption (Macau)
Judiciary Law enforcement CCP Central Politics and Law Commission Secretary: Chen Wenqing Supreme People's Court President: Zhang Jun People's Courts Judicial Police Supreme People's Procuratorate Prosecutor General: Ying Yong People's Procuratorates Judicial Police State Council Ministry of Public Security Minister: Wang Xiaohong Public Security Organs People's Police State Immigration Administration Local public security bureaus Ministry of State Security Minister: Chen Yixin State Security Organs People's Police Ministry of Justice Minister: He Rong Judicial Administrative Organs People's Police Bureau of Prison Administration [zh] Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR Urban Management (chengguan) Judiciary of Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Department of Justice Prosecutions Division Law enforcement in Hong Kong Security Bureau Regular Disciplined Services Hong Kong Police Force Judiciary of Macau Court of Final Appeal Public Prosecutions Office Secretariat for Security Macau Security Force Unitary Police Services [zh] Public Security Police Judiciary Police [zh]
Propaganda Central Leading Group for Propaganda, Ideology and Culture Leader: Cai Qi Deputy Leaders: Li Shulei, Shen Yiqin Central Guidance Commission on Building Spiritual Civilization Director: Cai Qi Deputy Director: Li Shulei Central Propaganda Department Head: Li Shulei National Press and Publication Administration China Film Administration State Council Information Office China Daily Ministry of Culture and Tourism National Radio and Television Administration China Media Group China Central Television China Global Television Network China National Radio China Radio International Xinhua News Agency Reference News China News Service People's Daily Global Times China Today Censorship in China Radio jamming Overseas censorship of Chinese issues Media of China Internal media Publishing industry in China Internet in China Internet censorship Great Firewall Great Cannon Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy director: Li Keqiang Cyberspace Administration of China Director: Zhuang Rongwen
Hong Kong Macau Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Leader: Ding Xuexiang HK & Macau Affairs Office Director: Xia Baolong Hong Kong Liaison Office Macau Liaison Office One country, two systems Special administrative regions Hong Kong Basic Law Chief Executive: John Lee Hong Kong SAR Government Politics of Hong Kong Independence movement Mainland & HK CEPA Macao Basic Law Chief Executive: Ho Iat-seng Macau SAR Government Politics of Macau Mainland & Macau CEPA
Cross-Strait relations Cross-Strait relations Chinese Civil War One China Political status of Taiwan Republic of China on Taiwan Taiwan Area "Taiwan Province", PRC Taiwan independence movement Anti-Secession Law Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement Chinese unification Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs Leader: Xi Jinping Deputy Leader: Wang Huning Taiwan Affairs Office Director: Song Tao Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits
Foreign relations Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy Director: Li Qiang Secretary-General: Wang Yi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Wang Yi Spokespersons Diplomatic missions Diplomatic missions of China / in China Foreign aid from China / to China International Development Cooperation Agency Ministry of Commerce Exim Bank of China China Development Bank Belt and Road Initiative Silk Road Fund Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank BRICS New Development Bank Ministry of National Defense International Military Cooperation Office NPC Foreign Affairs Committee CCP International Liaison Department State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs Overseas Chinese Affairs Office Chinese nationality law Chinese passports (Hong Kong; Macau) Visa requirements for Chinese citizens (Hong Kong, Macau) Visa policy of China (Hong Kong; Macau) National Immigration Administration Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence Panda diplomacy Beijing Consensus Community of Common Destiny China and the United Nations China and the World Trade Organization Shanghai Cooperation Organisation China–Africa relations China–Arab relations China–Caribbean relations China–European Union relations China–Latin America relations China–Pacific relations China–Russia relations China–United States relations
Related topics Administrative divisions Hukou system Family planning Ethnic minorities
China portal Other countries
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Unlike in other countries, the Ministry of National Defense does not have operational command over the Chinese military including the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which is instead commanded by the Central Military Commission (CMC). The work of the Ministry and the Minister are primarily diplomatic in nature, generally functioning as the a liaison representing the CMC and PLA when dealing with foreign militaries.