19. Ministry of Transportation (MOT)
| Minister: | Li Shenglin |
| Vice Ministers: | Li Jiaxiang Weng Mengyong Gao Hongfeng Xu Zuyuan |
| Address: | 11 Jianguomennei Dajie, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100736 |
| Telephone: | 86-10-6529-2513 |
| Facsimile: | 86-10-6529-2514 |
| Website: | |
| Departments: | General Office; System Restructuring and Law; General Planning; Financial Affairs; Personnel and Labor; Roads; Water Transportation; Science, Technology, and Education; International Cooperation; Bureau of Public Security; Bureau of Retired Officials; Bureau of Discipline Supervision; Bureau of Service; Rescue and Salvage Center; Audit Office; State Bureau of Civil Aviation; State Postal Bureau; CCP Committee |
MOT was created in March 2008 by the State Council as one of the new "super ministries," combining the functions of the old Ministry of Communications (MOC) with those of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC, which has been renamed the State Bureau of Civil Aviation). The new ministry will also absorb the functions of the old Ministry of Construction in overseeing urban passenger transport systems. The new MOT will be the principal organization overseeing development strategies, regulations, and standards for road, water, and air transportation, and communications. It will play a significant role in regulating the logistics industry. The State Postal Bureau is now a subordinate agency of MOT, and the subordinate State Bureau of Civil Aviation will assume regulatory control of air transportation. MOT does not, however, manage rail transportation and construction, which continues to be the purview of the Ministry of Railways.
MOT, as MOC before it, will play an important role in ensuring fair competition in the transport industry, helping to improve the profitability of state transportation and building a complete, mature regulatory framework for the transportation industry. In land and water transportation, MOT implements state road and waterway projects and organizes fee collection for the construction and maintenance of roadways and waterways. MOT also keeps track of the auto repair market, auto driving schools, and driver training programs.
In shipping, MOT handles bilateral shipping issues, such as port access and negotiating cross-strait shipping with Taiwan. It ensures the health and safety of water transport and inspects and regulates the use of existing marine transport facilities and navigation channels. In addition, MOT regulates shipping agents and providers of navigation insurance, tallies foreign vessels, and coordinates salvage efforts.
In aviation, MOT will assume the responsibilities of CAAC for drafting policies, laws, regulations, and development plans for civil aviation in China. MOT will also oversee the restructuring and reform of the industry, approve plans for new and expanded airports, oversee the training and certification of pilots, regulate airfares and wages for air personnel, and monitor flight safety and security. Before the restructuring, CAAC was reforming to become more of an independent aviation regulator than a commercial industry manager of multiple airlines, including divestiture of all managed airport facilities (except for Beijing Capital Airport and Tibet's Lhasa Gongga Airport).
Return to PART V: State Council 27 Ministries and Commissions