Administrative Regulations on Geographical Names (Revised in 2022)
Administrative Regulations on Geographical Names (Revised in 2022)
Administrative Regulations on Geographical Names (Revised in 2022)
Order of the State Council of the People's Republic of China No.753
March 30, 2022
The Administrative Regulations on Geographical Names, revised and adopted at the 147th executive meeting of the State Council on September 1, 2021, are hereby promulgated for implementation as of May 1, 2022.
Li Keqiang, Premier
Administrative Regulations on Geographical Names (Revised in 2022)
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1 The Regulations are formulated in order to strengthen and standardize the administration of geographical names, meet the needs of economic and social development, people's lives and international exchanges, and carry forward and develop the excellent Chinese culture.
Article 2 The Regulations apply to the nomination, alteration, use, and cultural protection of and management activities related to geographical names within the territory of the People's Republic of China.
Article 3 For the purpose of the Regulations, geographical names include:
1. names of physical geographical entities;
2. names of administrative divisions;
3. names of the locations of villagers' committees and neighborhood committees;
4. names of urban parks and nature reserves;
5. names of streets, roads and lanes;
6. names of residential areas and buildings with important geographical location significance;
7. names of transportation, water conservancy, electric power, communication, meteorology and other facilities with important geographical location significance; and
8. names of other geographical entities with significant geographical location significance.
Article 4 The administration of geographical names shall adhere to and strengthen the leadership of the Party. The nomination and alteration of administrative divisions at or above the county level, and the nomination, alteration, and use of geographical names that involve major matters such as national territorial sovereignty, security, diplomacy, and national defense, shall be reported to the CPC Central Committee in accordance with relevant regulations.
The administration of geographical names shall be conducive to safeguarding national sovereignty and national unity, promoting the socialist core values, promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, and carrying forward and developing the excellent Chinese culture.
Geographical names shall remain relatively stable. Without approval, no entity or individual may decide to nominate or alter a geographical name without authorization.
Article 5 The nomination, alteration, use and cultural protection of geographical names shall be in compliance with laws, administrative regulations and relevant state provisions, reflect local geographical, historical and cultural characteristics, respect the wishes of the local people, and facilitate production and life.
Article 6 A people's government at or above the county level shall establish a sound coordination mechanism for the administration of geographical names, and guide, urge and supervise the administration of geographical names.
Article 7 The civil affairs department of the State Council (hereinafter referred to as the "competent administrative department for geographical names of the State Council") shall be responsible for the unified supervision and administration of geographical names work across the country.
Other relevant departments of foreign affairs, public security, natural resources, housing and urban-rural development, transportation, water conservancy, culture and tourism, market supervision, forestry and grassland, language work, press and publication, of the State Council shall be responsible for the relevant administration of geographical names within the scope of their respective responsibilities.
The competent administrative department for geographical names of a local people's government at or above the county level shall be responsible for the administration of the geographical names within its own administrative region. Other relevant departments of a local people's government at or above the county level shall, in accordance with the division of responsibilities as prescribed by such people's government, be responsible for the relevant administration of geographical names within the administrative region.
Article 8 The competent administrative department for geographical names of a local people's government at or above the county level shall, in concert with the relevant departments, prepare a geographical name plan for its own administrative region, and organize the implementation thereof after obtaining the approval of such people's government.
Chapter II Nomination and Alteration of Geographical Names
Article 9 Geographical names consist of special names and common names. The nomination of geographical names shall comply with the following provisions:
1. a geographical name shall have a clear and healthy meaning, and not violate public order and good customs;
2. a geographical name shall conform to the actual geographical area, scale, nature and other characteristics of the geographical entity;
3. a graphical name shall use the commonly used language and characters of the country and avoid the use of uncommon characters;
4. generally no name of a person or a state leader shall be used as a geographical name;
5.
......
Order of the State Council of the People's Republic of China No.753
March 30, 2022
The Administrative Regulations on Geographical Names, revised and adopted at the 147th executive meeting of the State Council on September 1, 2021, are hereby promulgated for implementation as of May 1, 2022.
Li Keqiang, Premier
Administrative Regulations on Geographical Names (Revised in 2022)
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1 The Regulations are formulated in order to strengthen and standardize the administration of geographical names, meet the needs of economic and social development, people's lives and international exchanges, and carry forward and develop the excellent Chinese culture.
Article 2 The Regulations apply to the nomination, alteration, use, and cultural protection of and management activities related to geographical names within the territory of the People's Republic of China.
Article 3 For the purpose of the Regulations, geographical names include:
1. names of physical geographical entities;
2. names of administrative divisions;
3. names of the locations of villagers' committees and neighborhood committees;
4. names of urban parks and nature reserves;
5. names of streets, roads and lanes;
6. names of residential areas and buildings with important geographical location significance;
7. names of transportation, water conservancy, electric power, communication, meteorology and other facilities with important geographical location significance; and
8. names of other geographical entities with significant geographical location significance.
Article 4 The administration of geographical names shall adhere to and strengthen the leadership of the Party. The nomination and alteration of administrative divisions at or above the county level, and the nomination, alteration, and use of geographical names that involve major matters such as national territorial sovereignty, security, diplomacy, and national defense, shall be reported to the CPC Central Committee in accordance with relevant regulations.
The administration of geographical names shall be conducive to safeguarding national sovereignty and national unity, promoting the socialist core values, promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, and carrying forward and developing the excellent Chinese culture.
Geographical names shall remain relatively stable. Without approval, no entity or individual may decide to nominate or alter a geographical name without authorization.
Article 5 The nomination, alteration, use and cultural protection of geographical names shall be in compliance with laws, administrative regulations and relevant state provisions, reflect local geographical, historical and cultural characteristics, respect the wishes of the local people, and facilitate production and life.
Article 6 A people's government at or above the county level shall establish a sound coordination mechanism for the administration of geographical names, and guide, urge and supervise the administration of geographical names.
Article 7 The civil affairs department of the State Council (hereinafter referred to as the "competent administrative department for geographical names of the State Council") shall be responsible for the unified supervision and administration of geographical names work across the country.
Other relevant departments of foreign affairs, public security, natural resources, housing and urban-rural development, transportation, water conservancy, culture and tourism, market supervision, forestry and grassland, language work, press and publication, of the State Council shall be responsible for the relevant administration of geographical names within the scope of their respective responsibilities.
The competent administrative department for geographical names of a local people's government at or above the county level shall be responsible for the administration of the geographical names within its own administrative region. Other relevant departments of a local people's government at or above the county level shall, in accordance with the division of responsibilities as prescribed by such people's government, be responsible for the relevant administration of geographical names within the administrative region.
Article 8 The competent administrative department for geographical names of a local people's government at or above the county level shall, in concert with the relevant departments, prepare a geographical name plan for its own administrative region, and organize the implementation thereof after obtaining the approval of such people's government.
Chapter II Nomination and Alteration of Geographical Names
Article 9 Geographical names consist of special names and common names. The nomination of geographical names shall comply with the following provisions:
1. a geographical name shall have a clear and healthy meaning, and not violate public order and good customs;
2. a geographical name shall conform to the actual geographical area, scale, nature and other characteristics of the geographical entity;
3. a graphical name shall use the commonly used language and characters of the country and avoid the use of uncommon characters;
4. generally no name of a person or a state leader shall be used as a geographical name;
5.
......