All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce
The All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC; simplified Chinese: 中华全国工商业联合会; traditional Chinese: 中華全國工商業聯合會; pinyin: Zhōnghuá quánguó gōngshāngyè liánhéhuì) is a non-governmental chamber of commerce, established in 1953 as a successor to the chambers of commerce that were first founded during the Qing Dynasty. Today, it consists of Chinese industrialists and business people under the leadership of the United Front Department of the Communist Party of China, as well as being a constituent organization of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the holder of a number of seats in the National People's Congress. The organization assists the government in managing China's private economy and acts as a bridge between the private sector and the government.[1]
Core functions
The core responsibilities of the ACFIC are to:[1]
- Increase communications between the government and the private economy;
- Assist the government in managing the private economy;
- Participate in political consultation of national policies and strategies in politics, economy and social affairs;
- Help its members in technological innovation, management and culture for increased competitiveness and in achieving sustainable development;
- Represent the legitimate rights of its members and to extend their proposals and requirements to government;
- Provide members with services in training, financing, technology, legal consultation and information, and to resolve the difficulties and problems they are facing;
- Build closer relationships with foreign commercial and industrial entities;
- Help members to go overseas for business opportunities and contribute to China’s economic reforms.
Structure
The agency is structured into the following departments:[2]
- General Office
- Department of Research
- Department of Membership
- Department of Publicity and Education
- Department of Economic Service
- Department of Poverty Relief and Social Service
- Department of International Liaison
- Department of Legal Affairs
- Department of Human Resources
Leadership
Since November 2002, the ACFIC has been led by Chairman Huang Mengfu (Chinese: 黄孟复), who, like his predecessors, is also a vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, ranking as a national leader of China. His predecessor was Jing Shuping, founder of the first private bank in modern China and the son of a well-known entrepreneur of the later Qing Dynasty.
First vice-chairman of the ACFIC is Quan Zhezhu (Chinese: 全哲洙), a deputy minister of the United Front Department of the CPC Central Committee originally from Jilin. ACFIC has another 23 vice-chairpersons, most of them private entrepreneurs.[3]
Regional federations
More than 3,000 regional federations of industry and commerce (FIC) have been established in all provinces and prefectures and most counties of China. As of 2009, they listed a combined membership of 2.6 million private enterprises. The relationship between ACFIC and the regional FIC is described as a role of guidance, but the statute of ACFIC is also valid for the regional federations.[4]
See also
- Industrial history of the People's Republic of China
- Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
References
External links
- Official website (English)
- ACFIC Partnership with DIHK (English)
