Last updated: June 28, 2023
The above chart and the following notes are based on the relevant provisions of the PRC Constitution, the NPC Organic Law, and the Decision on Establishing the Special Committees of the 14th NPC.
- Each National People’s Congress (NPC) determines the setup of its special committees, which work under its direction. The NPC also appoints their chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, and other members—who are all NPC delegates.
- When the NPC is not in session, the special committees work under the direction of the NPC Standing Committee (NPCSC), which may during such period appoint additional vice-chairpersons and members of the special committees upon nomination by the Council of Chairpersons. Some members of the special committees are also members of the NPCSC.
- The NPC elects the NPCSC’s constituent members—that is, the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons, Secretary-General, and other members—from its own delegates. The NPCSC reports to the NPC.
- The Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons, and Secretary-General form the Council of Chairpersons, which handles the NPCSC’s important day-to-day work. The Chairperson convenes the NPCSC’s sessions.
- The NPCSC appoints members of its working bodies upon nomination by the Chairperson, except as otherwise provided by law; and appoints members of the Delegate Credentials Committee upon nomination by the Council of Chairpersons. The General Office works under the direction of the Secretary-General.
Shouldn’t 委员长 and 主任委员 be translated as “chairperson”? There has been females in those roles, after all (as opposed to the Premier with “his or her cabinet”, hehe).
Only men have served as 委员长, but you are totally right about 主任委员. I’ve also changed the translations of 副委员长 and 副主任委员 to gender-neutral terms, as women have served in those positions.