10. Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Construction (MHURC)
| Minister: | Jiang Weixin |
| Vice Ministers: | Qiu Baoxing Chen Dawei Huang Wei Qi Ji |
| Address: | 9 Sanlihe Rd., Beijing 100835 |
| Telephone: | 86-10-6839-4114 (operator); 6839-3292 (office) |
| Facsimile: | 86-10-6839-3333 |
| Website: | |
| Departments and Directors: | General Office; Comprehensive Financial Affairs; Policy, Law, and Regulation; Science and Technology; Standards and Quotas; Construction Market Management; Project Quality, Safety Supervision, and Industrial Development; Urban and Rural Planning; Urban Development; Housing and Real Estate Industry; Office of Villages and Towns; Foreign Affairs; Personnel and Education; CCP Committee |
The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Construction (MHURC) is responsible for drafting policies, laws, and development plans related to city, village, and town planning and construction, the building industry, and municipal works. In the State Council's 2007-08 round of reorganization, MHURC was created from the older Ministry of Construction (MOC). Specifically, MHURC
- Sets national quotas and standards for construction projects, oversees market access, project bidding, and quality and safety supervision. This includes preparing plans for scientific and technological development and technical economic policies for related industries;
- Oversees the housing sector: directs housing construction, oversees the reform of the urban housing system, and manages the real estate industry;
- Drafts methods of economic appraisal for project feasibility studies, economic parameters, land-use targets, and cost management of construction projects;
- Manages public areas: oversees the use of underground urban water and space; the work related to fuel, heat, municipal facilities, public transit, gardens, and urban greening, landscaping, and environmental sanitation; and preserves national scenic spots and historic cities.
Since the mid-1990s, MOC/MHURC has had three broad issues to tackle. First, the central government has used the building of infrastructure projects as a mechanism to keep the Chinese economy growing. Thus, the construction industry has been a recipient of significant funds from the central government throughout both the ninth Five-Year Plan (FYP, 1996-2000) and the 10th FYP (2001-05). MOC manages competition for these funds and oversees many of the projects, which include urban planning and infrastructure development, improvement in water supply and wastewater treatment facilities, and expansion of public transportation.
Second, MOC/MHURC has helped to commercialize the national public housing system as China transitions to an economy where families own their own housing. With the liberalization of the property sector, MOC must manage construction in the real estate market, the displacement of low-income families because of new construction, and the resulting shortfall in affordable housing. It also works with banks to enable families to finance the purchase of their homes.
Third, MOC/MHURC has been plagued in recent years by a series of construction-related incidents such as the collapse of bridges, dams, and buildings. Many of the problems stem from lack of oversight, corruption in the issuance of construction licenses, use of inferior materials, poorly trained construction workers, insufficient enforcement of standards, and local officials' unwillingness to cooperate. In response, ministry officials have introduced new inspection procedures, issued more standards on construction materials and building codes, and established a national program to train project owners, engineers, managers, and technicians.
Return to PART V: State Council 27 Ministries and Commissions