Organic Law of the Urban Residents Committees of the People's Republic of China (English Text)
Major Law
Additional Laws and Regulations
Short Summary
The following translation was retrieved from the People's Daily Web site on December 1, 2005. The Chinese text was retrieved from the PRC National People's Congress Web site on February 9, 2006.
Organic Law of the Urban Residents Committees of the PRC Article 1. Pursuant to the Constitution, this Law is formulated with a view to improving the urban residents committees as an institution, enabling urban residents to administer their own affairs in accordance with the law, promoting socialist democracy at the grassroots level in the cities, and furthering socialist material development and the building of an advanced socialist culture and ideology in urban areas. Article 2. An urban residents committee shall be a mass organization for self government at the grassroots level, in which the residents manage their own affairs, educate themselves, and serve their own needs. The people's government of a city not divided into districts or of a municipal district or an agency of such a people's government shall provide guidance, support and help for the residents committees in their work. The residents committees shall, on their part, assist the above people's government or agency in its work. Article 3. The tasks of a residents committee shall include: (1) publicizing the Constitution, the laws, the regulations and the state policies, safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of the residents, educating the residents for the fulfilment of their statutory obligations and for the protection of public property, and conducting various forms of activities for the development of an advanced socialist culture and ideology; (2) handling the public affairs and public welfare services of the residents in the local residential area; (3) mediating disputes among the residents; (4) assisting in the maintenance of public security; (5) assisting the local people's government or its agency in its work related to the interests of the residents, such as public health, family planning, special care for disabled servicemen and for family members of revolutionary martyrs and servicemen, social relief, and juvenile education; and (6) conveying the residents' opinions and demands and making suggestions to the local people's government or its agency. Article 4. A residents committee shall develop community service activities for the convenience and benefit of the residents and may also run relevant services. A residents committee shall manage its own property; no department or unit may infringe upon its right of ownership of property. Article 5. In an area where people from more than one nationality live, the residents committee shall educate the residents for mutual assistance and mutual respect to enhance unity between different nationalities. Article 6. A residents committee shall generally be established for an area inhabited by 100-700 households on the basis of the distribution of residents and on the principle of facilitating their self government. The establishment or dissolution of a residents committee or a readjustment in the area covered by it shall be decided by the people's government of a city not divided into districts or of a municipal district. Article 7. A residents committee shall be composed of 5-9 members, including the chairman, the vice-chairman (vice-chairmen) and the members. In an area where people from more than one nationality live, the residents committee shall include a member or members from the nationality or nationalities with a smaller population. Article 8. The chairman, vice-chairman (vice-chairmen) and members of a residents committee shall be elected by all the residents of a residential area who have the right to elect or by the representatives from all the households; on the basis of the opinions of the residents, they may also be elected by the elected representatives of residents groups numbering 2-3 from each. The term of office of the residents committee shall be three years, and its members may continue to hold office when reelected. Any resident of an residential area who has reached the age of 18 shall have the right to elect and stand for election, regardless of his ethnic status, race, sex, occupation, family background, religious belief, education, property status and length of residence, with the exception of persons who have been deprived of political rights in accordance with the law. Article 9. The residents assembly shall be composed of residents at or above the age of 18. The residents assembly may be attended by all the residents at or above the age of 18 or by a representative or representatives of each household; it may also be attended by the elected representatives of residents groups numbering 2-3 from each. The residents assembly shall be held only when it is attended by over half of the total number of the residents at or above the age of 18, or of the representatives of the households, or of the representatives elected by the residents groups. Decisions of the residents assembly shall be adopted by a simple majority of all the people present. Article 10. The residents committee shall be responsible to the residents assembly and report on its work to the latter. The residents assembly shall be convened and presided over by the residents committee. It shall be convened when proposed by over one-fifth of the residents at or above the age of 18, by over one-fifth of the number of households, or by over one-third of the number of residents groups. When important matters involving the interests of all the residents arise, the residents committee must refer them to the residents assembly for decision through discussion. The residents assembly shall have the power to recall members of the residents committee and hold a by-election. Article 11. In making decisions, a residents committee shall apply the principle whereby the minority is subordinate to the majority. In its work a residents committee shall adopt a democratic approach and shall not resort to coercion or commandism. Article 12. Members of a residents committee shall observe the Constitution, the laws, the regulations and the state policies, be fair in handling matters and serve the residents warmheartedly. Article 13. A residents committee shall, when necessary, establish sub-committees for people's mediation, public security, public health and other matters. Members of the residents committee may concurrently be members of the sub-committees. A residents committee with a smaller population in its area may dispense with the sub-committees; instead, members of the residents committee shall have a division of responsibilities for various types of work. Article 14. The residents committee may set up residents groups, the heads of which shall be elected by these groups. Article 15. Joint pledges of the residents shall be drawn up by the residents assembly through discussion, reported to the people's government of a city not divided into districts or of a municipal district or to an agency of either of them for the record, and implemented under the supervision of the residents committee. The residents shall observe the decisions of the residents assembly and the joint pledges of the residents. The joint pledges of the residents shall not contravene the Constitution, the laws, the regulations and the state policies. Article 16. The funds needed by a residents committee for managing public welfare services in the residential area, upon decision of the residents assembly through discussion, may be raised from the residents on a voluntary basis, and may also be raised from beneficiary units in the residential area, subject to approval by such units; the accounts of revenues and expenditures shall be made public without delay for supervision by the residents. Article 17. The funds needed for the work of a residents committee and their sources, and the scope, standards and sources of the financial subsidies for members of the residents committee shall be specified by the people's government of a city not divided into districts or of a municipal district, or by the people's government at a higher level, and the money shall be provided by it. With the approval of the residents assembly, appropriate subsidies may be granted by using some of the residents committee's financial revenues. The office premises for a residents committee shall be made available by the local people's government through overall planning. Article 18. Persons who have been deprived of political rights in accordance with the law shall be included in residents groups. The residents committee shall exercise supervision over them and give them ideological education. Article 19. State organs, public organizations, units of the armed forces, enterprises and institutions shall not join the organizations of the residents committees in their localities, but they shall support the work of these residents committees. When the residents committees in their localities discuss problems related to them and their presence becomes necessary, these units shall send representatives to the meetings. In the meantime, these units shall abide by the relevant decisions of the residents committees and the joint pledges of the residents. The staff and workers of the units specified in the preceding paragraph and their family members, and servicemen and dependents living with them shall join the residents committees in their residential areas; in areas where such families live in compact communities, dependents committees may be established separately to assume the responsibilities of the residents committees and conduct their work under the guidance of the people's governments of cities not divided into districts or of municipal districts, their agencies or the units they belong to. The funds needed for the work of the dependents committees, the financial subsidies for their members and their office premises shall be provided by the units they belong to. Article 20. If a relevant department under the people's government of a municipality or a municipal district, in its work, needs the cooperation of a residents committee or one of its sub-committees, it shall seek the approval of the people's government of the municipality or of the municipal district or an agency of either of them, which shall make unified arrangements. The relevant departments under the people's government of a municipality or a municipal district may give professional guidance to the relevant sub-committees of the residents committees. Article 21. This Law shall apply to the residents committees established in the localities under the people's governments of townships, nationality townships or towns. Article 22. Measures for the implementation of this Law shall be formulated, in accordance with this Law, by the standing committees of the people's congresses of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government. Article 23. This Law shall enter into force on January 1, 1990. The Organic Regulations of the Urban Residents Committees, adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on December 31, 1954, shall be abrogated as of the same date.
Organic Law of the Urban Residents Committees of the PRC Article 1. Pursuant to the Constitution, this Law is formulated with a view to improving the urban residents committees as an institution, enabling urban residents to administer their own affairs in accordance with the law, promoting socialist democracy at the grassroots level in the cities, and furthering socialist material development and the building of an advanced socialist culture and ideology in urban areas. Article 2. An urban residents committee shall be a mass organization for self government at the grassroots level, in which the residents manage their own affairs, educate themselves, and serve their own needs. The people's government of a city not divided into districts or of a municipal district or an agency of such a people's government shall provide guidance, support and help for the residents committees in their work. The residents committees shall, on their part, assist the above people's government or agency in its work. Article 3. The tasks of a residents committee shall include: (1) publicizing the Constitution, the laws, the regulations and the state policies, safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of the residents, educating the residents for the fulfilment of their statutory obligations and for the protection of public property, and conducting various forms of activities for the development of an advanced socialist culture and ideology; (2) handling the public affairs and public welfare services of the residents in the local residential area; (3) mediating disputes among the residents; (4) assisting in the maintenance of public security; (5) assisting the local people's government or its agency in its work related to the interests of the residents, such as public health, family planning, special care for disabled servicemen and for family members of revolutionary martyrs and servicemen, social relief, and juvenile education; and (6) conveying the residents' opinions and demands and making suggestions to the local people's government or its agency. Article 4. A residents committee shall develop community service activities for the convenience and benefit of the residents and may also run relevant services. A residents committee shall manage its own property; no department or unit may infringe upon its right of ownership of property. Article 5. In an area where people from more than one nationality live, the residents committee shall educate the residents for mutual assistance and mutual respect to enhance unity between different nationalities. Article 6. A residents committee shall generally be established for an area inhabited by 100-700 households on the basis of the distribution of residents and on the principle of facilitating their self government. The establishment or dissolution of a residents committee or a readjustment in the area covered by it shall be decided by the people's government of a city not divided into districts or of a municipal district. Article 7. A residents committee shall be composed of 5-9 members, including the chairman, the vice-chairman (vice-chairmen) and the members. In an area where people from more than one nationality live, the residents committee shall include a member or members from the nationality or nationalities with a smaller population. Article 8. The chairman, vice-chairman (vice-chairmen) and members of a residents committee shall be elected by all the residents of a residential area who have the right to elect or by the representatives from all the households; on the basis of the opinions of the residents, they may also be elected by the elected representatives of residents groups numbering 2-3 from each. The term of office of the residents committee shall be three years, and its members may continue to hold office when reelected. Any resident of an residential area who has reached the age of 18 shall have the right to elect and stand for election, regardless of his ethnic status, race, sex, occupation, family background, religious belief, education, property status and length of residence, with the exception of persons who have been deprived of political rights in accordance with the law. Article 9. The residents assembly shall be composed of residents at or above the age of 18. The residents assembly may be attended by all the residents at or above the age of 18 or by a representative or representatives of each household; it may also be attended by the elected representatives of residents groups numbering 2-3 from each. The residents assembly shall be held only when it is attended by over half of the total number of the residents at or above the age of 18, or of the representatives of the households, or of the representatives elected by the residents groups. Decisions of the residents assembly shall be adopted by a simple majority of all the people present. Article 10. The residents committee shall be responsible to the residents assembly and report on its work to the latter. The residents assembly shall be convened and presided over by the residents committee. It shall be convened when proposed by over one-fifth of the residents at or above the age of 18, by over one-fifth of the number of households, or by over one-third of the number of residents groups. When important matters involving the interests of all the residents arise, the residents committee must refer them to the residents assembly for decision through discussion. The residents assembly shall have the power to recall members of the residents committee and hold a by-election. Article 11. In making decisions, a residents committee shall apply the principle whereby the minority is subordinate to the majority. In its work a residents committee shall adopt a democratic approach and shall not resort to coercion or commandism. Article 12. Members of a residents committee shall observe the Constitution, the laws, the regulations and the state policies, be fair in handling matters and serve the residents warmheartedly. Article 13. A residents committee shall, when necessary, establish sub-committees for people's mediation, public security, public health and other matters. Members of the residents committee may concurrently be members of the sub-committees. A residents committee with a smaller population in its area may dispense with the sub-committees; instead, members of the residents committee shall have a division of responsibilities for various types of work. Article 14. The residents committee may set up residents groups, the heads of which shall be elected by these groups. Article 15. Joint pledges of the residents shall be drawn up by the residents assembly through discussion, reported to the people's government of a city not divided into districts or of a municipal district or to an agency of either of them for the record, and implemented under the supervision of the residents committee. The residents shall observe the decisions of the residents assembly and the joint pledges of the residents. The joint pledges of the residents shall not contravene the Constitution, the laws, the regulations and the state policies. Article 16. The funds needed by a residents committee for managing public welfare services in the residential area, upon decision of the residents assembly through discussion, may be raised from the residents on a voluntary basis, and may also be raised from beneficiary units in the residential area, subject to approval by such units; the accounts of revenues and expenditures shall be made public without delay for supervision by the residents. Article 17. The funds needed for the work of a residents committee and their sources, and the scope, standards and sources of the financial subsidies for members of the residents committee shall be specified by the people's government of a city not divided into districts or of a municipal district, or by the people's government at a higher level, and the money shall be provided by it. With the approval of the residents assembly, appropriate subsidies may be granted by using some of the residents committee's financial revenues. The office premises for a residents committee shall be made available by the local people's government through overall planning. Article 18. Persons who have been deprived of political rights in accordance with the law shall be included in residents groups. The residents committee shall exercise supervision over them and give them ideological education. Article 19. State organs, public organizations, units of the armed forces, enterprises and institutions shall not join the organizations of the residents committees in their localities, but they shall support the work of these residents committees. When the residents committees in their localities discuss problems related to them and their presence becomes necessary, these units shall send representatives to the meetings. In the meantime, these units shall abide by the relevant decisions of the residents committees and the joint pledges of the residents. The staff and workers of the units specified in the preceding paragraph and their family members, and servicemen and dependents living with them shall join the residents committees in their residential areas; in areas where such families live in compact communities, dependents committees may be established separately to assume the responsibilities of the residents committees and conduct their work under the guidance of the people's governments of cities not divided into districts or of municipal districts, their agencies or the units they belong to. The funds needed for the work of the dependents committees, the financial subsidies for their members and their office premises shall be provided by the units they belong to. Article 20. If a relevant department under the people's government of a municipality or a municipal district, in its work, needs the cooperation of a residents committee or one of its sub-committees, it shall seek the approval of the people's government of the municipality or of the municipal district or an agency of either of them, which shall make unified arrangements. The relevant departments under the people's government of a municipality or a municipal district may give professional guidance to the relevant sub-committees of the residents committees. Article 21. This Law shall apply to the residents committees established in the localities under the people's governments of townships, nationality townships or towns. Article 22. Measures for the implementation of this Law shall be formulated, in accordance with this Law, by the standing committees of the people's congresses of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government. Article 23. This Law shall enter into force on January 1, 1990. The Organic Regulations of the Urban Residents Committees, adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on December 31, 1954, shall be abrogated as of the same date.
Title (Chinese)
中华人民共和国城市居民委员会组织法
Body (Chinese)
中华人民共和国城市居民委员会组织法（１９８９年１２月２６日第七届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第十一次会议通过１９８９年１２月２６日中华人民共和国主席令第二十一号公布１９９０年１月１日起施行）第一条为了加强城市居民委员会的建设，由城市居民群众依法办理群众自已的事情，促进城市基层社会主义民主和城市社会主义物质文明、精神文明建设的发展，根据宪法，制定本法。第二条居民委员会是居民自我管理、自我教育、自我服务的基层群众性自治组织。不设区的市、市辖区的人民政府或者它的派出机关对居民委员会的工作给予指导、支持和帮助。居民委员会协助不设区的市、市辖区的人民政府或者它的派出机关开展工作。第三条居民委员会的任务：（一）宣传宪法、法律、法规和国家的政策，维护居民的合法权益，教育居民履行依法应尽的义务，爱护公共财产，开展多种形式的社会主义精神文明建设活动；（二）办理本居住地区居民的公共事务和公益事业；（三）调解民间纠纷；（四）协助维护社会治安；（五）协助人民政府或者它的派出机关做好与居民利益有关的公共卫生、计划生育、优抚救济、青少年教育等项工作；（六）向人民政府或者它的派出机关反映居民的意见、要求和提出建议。第四条居民委员会应当开展便民利民的社区服务活动，可以兴办有关的服务事业。居民委员会管理本居民委员会的财产，任何部门和单位不得侵犯居民委员会的财产所有权。第五条多民族居住地区的居民委员会，应当教育居民互相帮助，互相尊重，加强民族团结。第六条居民委员会根据居民居住状况，按照便于居民自治的原则，一般在一百户至七百户的范围内设立。居民委员会的设立、撤销、规模调整，由不设区的市、市辖区的人民政府决定。第七条居民委员会由主任、副主任和委员共五至九人组成。多民族居住地区，居民委员会中应当有人数较少的民族的成员。第八条居民委员会主任、副主任和委员，由本居住地区全体有选举权的居民或者由每户派代表选举产生；根据居民意见，也可以由每个居民小组选举代表二至三人选举产生。居民委员会每届任期三年，其成员可以连选连任。年满十八周岁的本居住地区居民，不分民族、种族、性别、职业、家庭出身、宗教信仰、教育程度、财产状况、居住期限，都有选举权和被选举权；但是，依照法律被剥夺政治权利的人除外。第九条居民会议由十八周岁以上的居民组成。居民会议可以由全体十八周岁以上的居民或者每户派代表参加，也可以由每个居民小组选举代表二至三人参加。居民会议必须有全体十八周岁以上的居民、户的代表或者居民小组选举的代表的过半数出席，才能举行。会议的决定，由出席人的过半数通过。第十条居民委员会向居民会议负责并报告工作。居民会议由居民委员会召集和主持。有五分之一以上的十八周岁以上的居民、五分之一以上的户或者三分之一以上的居民小组提议，应当召集居民会议。涉及全体居民利益的重要问题，居民委员会必须提请居民会议讨论决定。居民会议有权撤换和补选居民委员会成员。第十一条居民委员会决定问题，采取少数服从多数的原则。居民委员会进行工作，应当采取民主的方法，不得强迫命令。第十二条居民委员会成员应当遵守宪法、法律、法规和国家的政策，办事公道，热心为居民服务。第十三条居民委员会根据需要设人民调解、治安保卫、公共卫生等委员会。居民委员会成员可以兼任下属的委员会的成员。居民较少的居民委员会可以不设下属的委员会，由居民委员会的成员分工负责有关工作。第十四条居民委员会可以分设若干居民小组，小组长由居民小组推选。第十五条居民公约由居民会议讨论制定，报不设区的市、市辖区的人民政府或者它的派出机关备案，由居民委员会监督执行。居民应当遵守居民会议的决议和居民公约。居民公约的内容不得与宪法、法律、法规和国家的政策相抵触。第十六条居民委员会办理本居住地区公益事业所需的费用，经居民会议讨论决定，可以根据自愿原则向居民筹集，也可以向本居住地区的受益单位筹集，但是必须经受益单位同意；收支帐目应当及时公布，接受居民监督。第十七条居民委员会的工作经费和来源，居民委员会成员的生活补贴费的范围、标准和来源，由不设区的市、市辖区的人民政府或者上级人民政府规定并拨付；经居民会议同意，可以从居民委员会的经济收入中给予适当补助。居民委员会的办公用房，由当地人民政府统筹解决。第十八条依照法律被剥夺政治权利的人编入居民小组，居民委员会应当对他们进行监督和教育。第十九条机关、团体、部队、企业事业组织，不参加所在地的居民委员会，但是应当支持所在地的居民委员会的工作。所在地的居民委员会讨论同这些单位有关的问题，需要他们参加会议时，他们应当派代表参加，并且遵守居民委员会的有关决定和居民公约。前款所列单位的职工及家属、军人及随军家属，参加居住地区的居民委员会；其家属聚居区可以单独成立家属委员会，承担居民委员会的工作，在不设区的市、市辖区的人民政府或者它的派出机关和本单位的指导下进行工作。家属委员会的工作经费和家属委员会成员的生活补贴费、办公用房，由所属单位解决。第二十条市、市辖区的人民政府有关部门，需要居民委员会或者它的下属委员会协助进行的工作，应当经市、市辖区的人民政府或者它的派出机关同意并统一安排。市、市辖区的人民政府的有关部门，可以对居民委员会有关的下属委员会进行业务指导。第二十一条本法适用于乡、民族乡、镇的人民政府所在地设立的居民委员会。第二十二条省、自治区、直辖市的人民代表大会常务委员会可以根据本法制定实施办法。第二十三条本法自１９９０年１月１日起施行。１９５４年１２月３１日全国人民代表大会常务委员会通过的《城市居民委员会组织条例》同时废止。