Organic Law of the Urban Residents’ Committees of the PRC — Full English Translation (2018)

Adopted at the 11th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Seventh National People’s Congress on December 26, 1989

Amended in accordance with the Decision on Amending the Organic Law of the Urban Residents’ Committees of the People’s Republic of China adopted at the 7th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People’s Congress on December 29, 2018

Effective: December 29, 2018

Table of Contents

Chapter I — General Provisions

Article 1 — This Law is enacted in accordance with the Constitution for the purpose of strengthening the building of urban residents’ committees, enabling urban residents to handle their own affairs in accordance with the law, promoting democracy at the grassroots level in urban areas, and advancing the construction of socialist material and spiritual civilization in cities.

Article 2 — The residents’ committee is a self-governing organization of residents at the grassroots level, under which residents manage their own affairs, educate themselves, and serve their own needs. The people’s governments of cities not divided into districts or municipal districts or their detached offices shall guide, support, and assist the residents’ committees in their work. The residents’ committees shall assist the people’s governments of cities not divided into districts or municipal districts or their detached offices in their work.

Article 3 — The tasks of residents’ committees include: (1) publicizing the Constitution, laws, regulations, and State policies, safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of residents, educating residents in fulfilling their legal obligations and protecting public property, and carrying out various forms of activities to build socialist spiritual civilization; (2) handling the public affairs and public welfare undertakings of the residents of their areas; (3) mediating civil disputes among residents; (4) assisting in maintaining public order; (5) assisting the people’s governments or their detached offices in doing a good job in public health, family planning, special care for the dependants of revolutionary martyrs and servicemen, social relief, juvenile education, and other work relating to the interests of residents; and (6) conveying the opinions, demands, and suggestions of residents to the people’s governments or their detached offices.

Chapter II — The Residents’ Committee

Article 4 — Residents’ committees shall be established on the basis of the residential areas of residents, generally ranging from 100 to 700 households. The establishment, dissolution, and adjustment of the scale of a residents’ committee shall be decided by the people’s government of a city not divided into districts or a municipal district.

Article 5 — The residents’ committee shall be composed of five to nine members, including a chairman, a vice-chairman, and committee members. Women shall have an appropriate number of seats on the residents’ committee. Members of a residents’ committee who are residents of their areas may be provided with appropriate living allowances.

Article 6 — The chairman, vice-chairman, and members of the residents’ committee shall be elected by the residents of the area who have the right to vote. The residents’ assembly may recall members of the residents’ committee in accordance with the prescribed procedures. The term of office of the residents’ committee is five years, and its members may be re-elected upon expiry of their term.

Article 7 — The residents’ committee may establish subordinate committees such as a people’s mediation committee, a public security committee, and a public health committee as needed. Members of the residents’ committee may concurrently serve as members of the subordinate committees. The residents’ committee may also establish residents’ groups.

Article 8 — The residents’ committee shall decide on matters by the minority being subordinate to the majority. In carrying out its work, the residents’ committee shall adopt a democratic approach and shall not resort to coercion or orders.

Chapter III — Tasks of Residents’ Committees

Article 9 — The residents’ committee shall provide convenient services for the residents of its area, and may, in light of the actual circumstances, organize community service activities such as taking care of the elderly, the disabled, and the young. The residents’ committee shall hear and reflect the opinions and demands of residents, and safeguard the lawful rights and interests of residents.

Article 10 — The residents’ committee shall manage the property of the residents’ committee, and no entity or individual may seize, misappropriate, or otherwise dispose of the property of the residents’ committee without authorization.

Article 11 — Where a residents’ committee decides on matters involving the interests of all residents, the residents’ assembly shall be convened for discussion and decision in accordance with the principle of the minority being subordinate to the majority.

Chapter IV — Relationship with Government

Article 12 — The work of the residents’ committee shall be under the guidance of the people’s governments of cities not divided into districts or municipal districts and their detached offices. The relevant government departments may provide guidance to the residents’ committee and its subordinate committees in their operations, but shall not interfere in matters that fall within the scope of residents’ self-government.

Article 13 — The residents’ committee shall assist the people’s governments of cities not divided into districts or municipal districts and their detached offices in their work. The people’s governments of cities not divided into districts or municipal districts and their detached offices shall provide the residents’ committees with the necessary working conditions and financial support.

Article 14 — The office space of residents’ committees shall be resolved by the local people’s governments as a whole. Newly built residential areas shall include office space for residents’ committees in accordance with the relevant State regulations.

Chapter V — Supplementary Provisions

Article 15 — The standing committees of the people’s congresses of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government may, in accordance with this Law and in light of their respective actual local conditions, formulate measures for the implementation of this Law.

Article 16 — This Law shall come into effect on January 1, 1990. The Organic Regulations of the Urban Residents’ Committees promulgated on December 31, 1954 shall be repealed concurrently.

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