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| | The CCP also revised PAP funding to strengthen central control. Stronger central control of the PAP removes these troops from possible misuse by local power holders, deters potential challengers to Beijing's authority, and enables the central government to deploy the forces to carry out its own strategic plans, such as consolidation of political control over the western provinces. However, the militarization of the PAP raises the prospect that domestic security concerns will be considered in military terms, further weakening what little remains of the rights of the people of China, especially in the ethnic-minority dominated provinces featuring a heavy PAP presence. | | The CCP also revised PAP funding to strengthen central control. Stronger central control of the PAP removes these troops from possible misuse by local power holders, deters potential challengers to Beijing's authority, and enables the central government to deploy the forces to carry out its own strategic plans, such as consolidation of political control over the western provinces. However, the militarization of the PAP raises the prospect that domestic security concerns will be considered in military terms, further weakening what little remains of the rights of the people of China, especially in the ethnic-minority dominated provinces featuring a heavy PAP presence. |
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| − | ===State Council===
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| − | The State Council is the civilian administrative or bureaucratic civil service. It is subservient to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). All members are required to be CCP members. The Chinese military, the Peoples Liberation Army, is wholly independent of the government and is Party organ.
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| − | The Chinese Government is constructed around the Chinese Communist Party (CCP); its role is to implement party policies. The primary organs of state power are the National People's Congress (NPC), the President (the head of state), and the State Council. Members of the State Council include Premier Li Keqiang (the head of government), a variable number of vice premiers (now four), five state councilors (protocol equivalents of vice premiers but with narrower portfolios), and 22 ministers and four State Council commission directors.
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| − | Under the state constitution, the NPC is the highest organ of political power in Mainland China. It meets annually for about 2 weeks every March to review and approve major new policy directions, laws, the budget, and major personnel changes. These initiatives are presented to the NPC for consideration by the State Council after previous endorsement by the Communist Party's Central Committee. Although the NPC generally approves State Council policy and personnel recommendations, various NPC committees hold active debate in closed sessions, and changes may be made to accommodate alternate views.
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| − | When the NPC is not in session, its permanent organ, the Standing Committee, exercises state power.
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| − | In 2010, China's national domestic security spending exceeded its spending on external defense for the first time.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-unrest-idUSTRE7222RA20110305</ref> According to some estimates, on a purchasing power parity basis, China's domestic security spending in 2017 was equivalent to about $349 billion, more than double the United States’ estimated $165 billion. Besides major increases in spending, security officials have adopted advanced technologies for surveillance and security purposes, such as facial recognition and “social credit” rating schemes through information technologies.<ref>https://www.defensepriorities.org/explainers/responsibly-competing-with-china</ref> The increasing expansion of [[law enforcement]]
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| − | capabilities and international outreach raises the risk that Chinese security forces will extend their hunt for political opposition abroad.48 Already, requests by Chinese police officials to establish extradition agreements has raised concern that the MSS and MPS may serve as vehicles
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| − | for capturing political dissidents.<ref>https://psmag.com/news/is-china-using-interpol-to-try-to-bring-back-political-dissidents-from-the-u-s</ref>
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| − | ====Ministry of State Security====
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| − | The MSS is the country's main civilian intelligence and [[counterintelligence]] agency. Its missions include protecting China's national security, securing political and social stability, conducting counterintelligence, and implementing the State Security Law and related laws.42 The provincial and municipal departments of the MSS are responsible for carrying out surveillance and domestic intelligence work. Some of the departments also carry out foreign intelligence work.
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| − | ====Ministry of Public Security====
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| − | Chinese leaders rely on the MPS and the MSS as the primary forces for ensuring public order and controlling threats in the country. The MPS is responsible for domestic law enforcement, as well as overall maintenance of “social order,” riot control, and antiterror duties. Unlike the PAP
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| − | or PLA, however, the MPS provides oversight of local police forces, most of which are controlled and funded by local and provincial officials. Locally hired Chinese police forces are generally regarded as poorly paid, poorly trained, and corrupt.
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| | ====National Intelligence Law Article 7==== | | ====National Intelligence Law Article 7==== |