Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Universal Postal Services

Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Universal Postal Services

Order of the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China [2015] No.19

October 14, 2015

The Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Universal Postal Services, which were adopted at the 17th executive meeting on October 9, 2015, are hereby promulgated and shall come into force as of December 1, 2015.

Yang Chuantang, Minister

Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Universal Postal Services

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1 In order to guarantee universal postal services, strengthen the supervision and administration of universal postal services, protect the legitimate rights and interests of customers and postal enterprises, and promote the healthy development of universal postal services, the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Universal Postal Services (hereinafter referred to as the "Measures") are formulated in accordance with the Postal Law of the People's Republic of China and relevant laws as well as administrative regulations.

Article 2 The Measures apply to the universal postal services within the territory of the People's Republic of China, as well as their guarantee, supervision and administration.
For the purpose of the Measures, the term "universal postal services" refers to the basic postal services provided on an ongoing basis for all the customers within the territory of the People's Republic of China according to the business scope and service standards specified by the State and by reasonable rate standards.

Article 3 Universal postal services, as part of the national basic public services, shall be included in the national plans for economic and social development as well as the urban and rural public service system, and maintain development in line with the progress of the economy and the society.

Article 4 Postal enterprises shall assume the obligation of providing universal postal services in accordance with the provisions of the State.
Postal enterprises shall strengthen the quality management for universal postal services and improve safety and guarantee measures to ensure the effective performance of the obligation regarding universal postal services; and innovate service mean and, enhance service capability according to the economic and social development as well as people's living needs, to gradually improve the service level.

Article 5 The administrative department of postal services under the State Council shall be responsible for supervising and administering the universal postal services nationwide.
The authorities of postal services of all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall supervise and administer the universal postal services within their own administrative regions.
The authorities of postal services below the provincial level that are established in accordance with the provisions of the State Council shall supervise and administer the universal postal services within their jurisdictions.
The administrative department of postal services under the State Council, the authorities of postal services of all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the authorities of postal services below the provincial level (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "administrative departments of postal services") shall supervise and administer the universal postal services in accordance with the principles of openness, fairness and impartiality.

Article 6 The postal network consisting of postal facilities providing universal postal services is key national communication infrastructure.
The State shall support postal enterprises to bring the public service function of the postal network into play, and improve the utilization efficiency of postal network resources, to meet multiple needs for postal services in the society.

Chapter II Service Guarantee

Article 7 The administrative departments of postal services shall promote the development of the system of universal postal services that covers both rural and urban areas and push forward the establishment and improvement of the guarantee mechanism for universal postal services.

Article 8 The administrative departments of postal services shall, based on the social and economic development as well as people's living needs, formulate the distribution and construction planning for postal facilities, and urge the local people's governments at all levels to include the same into their urban and rural planning. The administrative departments of postal services shall, when formulating the distribution and construction planning for postal facilities, fully listen to the opinions of postal enterprises.
The distribution and construction of postal facilities shall conform to relevant laws, regulations and standards, and be in line with the needs of universal postal services as well as relevant supervision and administration.

Article 9 Where the land used for postal facilities providing universal postal services is in line with the Land Allocation Catalogue of the State, it shall be allocated in accordance with the law; and deduction and exemption shall be made for the expenses on supporting urban infrastructure construction and other relevant expenses.
In case of constructing urban new areas, separate industrial or mining areas, development zones, commercial districts, tourist areas or residential quarters, or reconstructing old cities, postal facilities to provide universal postal services shall also be set up, and shall be subject to unified planning, design, construction and acceptance together with the construction projects.

Article 10 The establishment of post offices, mail processing centers, postboxes and other postal facilities that provide universal postal services, shall conform to the distribution and construction planning for postal facilities and the standards for universal postal services.
Post offices that provide universal postal services shall be set up in larger stations, airports, ports, institutions of higher education, and hotels; the relevant entities shall provide convenience and necessary support in places, facilities, personnel and other respects.
A post office that provides universal postal services shall be established in the seat of a township people's government.

Article 11 Mail processing centers shall be designed and constructed in compliance with the requirements of national security organs and customs authorities regarding performance of their responsibilities in accordance with the law.

Article 12 Where a post office or mail processing center is requisitioned, the competent urban and rural planning authority shall properly arrange the relocation of the post office or mail processing center based on the requirement for guaranteeing universal postal services; no requisition shall proceed until such proper arrangement is made.
Prior to the re-establishment or re-planning of a post office or mail processing center, the requisition unit shall solicit opinions from postal enterprises and cooperate with them to take measures, to guarantee the normal operation of universal postal services.

Article 13 The facilities to receive mails include mailboxes, package cabinets and other places to receive mails including mail rooms and village postal stations.
State organs, enterprises and public institutions, commercial office buildings and other premises shall set mail rooms or other places to receive mails at the general entrances and exits on their ground floors, in order to facilitate the installation of the postal package cabinets. The residential buildings in residential quarters shall set mailboxes on the ground floor; and where no mailbox is set in a residential building, the residential quarter shall set mail rooms or other places to receive mails. Where no mailbox, mail room or any other site to receive mails is set in an entity or residential quarter, the property service enterprise or security department (reception room) thereof shall be responsible for receiving the mails delivered by postal enterprises.
In the rural areas, village postal stations and other places to receive mails shall be set gradually; and where no fixed site to receive mails is set, the village committee of each administrative village shall receive the mails on behalf of the recipients.
Postal enterprises may enter into a delivery confirmation agreement with the entities and residential quarters where mail rooms or other places to receive mails are set, to clarify their obligations of receiving and delivering mails.

Article 14 The design, making, installment and acceptance of mailboxes shall conform to relevant standards.
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