You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Chinese. (March 2023) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia.
Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article.
You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Chinese Wikipedia article at [[:zh:乡级行政区]]; see its history for attribution.
You may also add the template {{Translated|zh|乡级行政区}} to the talk page.
Townships (simplified Chinese: 乡; traditional Chinese: 鄉; pinyin: xiāng), formally township-level divisions (Chinese: 乡级行政区; pinyin: Xiāng Jí Xíngzhèngqū), are the basic level (fourth-level administrative units) of political divisions in the People's Republic of China. They are similar to municipalities and communes in other countries and in turn may contain village committees and villages. In 1995 there were 29,648 townships and 17,570 towns (a total of 47,218 township-level divisions) in China which included the territories held by the Republic of China and claimed by the PRC.[1]
Much like other levels of government in mainland China, the township's governance is divided between the Communist Party Township Secretary, and the "county magistrate" (Chinese: 乡长; pinyin: xiāngzhǎng). The township party secretary, along with the township's party committee, determines policy. The magistrate is in charge of administering the daily affairs of government and executing policies as determined by the party committee. A township official is the lowest-level ranked official in the civil service hierarchy; in practice, however, the township party secretary and magistrate can amass high levels of personal power.
A township government is formally responsible for local economic development, planning, maintenance of local roads, family planning, sanitation & health, sports, and "other responsibilities as determined by higher level governments".[2][better source needed]
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, there was a lack of uniform regulations for establishing towns, and there were too many towns formed. By the end of 1954, there were 5,400 towns throughout the country, including 920 with a population of less than 2,000, 2,302 with a population of 2,000-5,000, 1,373 with a population of 5,000-10,000, 784 with a population of 10,000-50,000, and 21 with a population over 50,000. In June 1955, the State Council issued the "Decision on the Establishment of Cities and Towns", which clarified the criteria for the establishment of towns. By the end of 1978, there were only 2,173 townships in the country. After the abolition of the people's commune system, the establishment of townships was given importance.
On 29 November 1984, the State Council announced new standards for the establishment of townships.
All local state organs at the county level should be set up as townships.
Townships with a total population of less than 20,000 and a non-agricultural population of more than 2,000 in the seat of the township government may be established.
For communes with a total population of more than 20,000, towns may be established if the non-agricultural population of the commune's governmental seat accounts for more than 10% of the commune's population.
Ethnic minority areas, sparsely populated remote areas, mountainous areas and small industrial and mining areas, small ports, scenic tourist areas, border crossings, etc., although the non-agricultural population of less than 2,000, if necessary, can also set up towns.
Township Townships of China List of Illinois townships Townships of Myanmar Ethnic townships, towns, and sums Township (Taiwan) Township (United States) Civil township Survey township Eastern Townships List of townships in Ohio List of Nebraska townships List of townships in North Carolina List of Iowa townships List of townships in North Dakota Township (South Africa) List of Arkansas townships List of townships in Minnesota List of Indiana townships Dublin Townships (Dáil constituency) Paper township Defunct townships of Cuyahoga County, Ohio List of townships in Kansas Township (Pennsylvan…
ia) Township (Quebec) Charter township Urban township Michigan Townships Association Urban township (Ohio) HIV/AIDS in South African townships Laxton, Digby and Longford Township Metro township List of township-level divisions of the Tibet Autonomous Region List of township-level divisions of Anhui Township (Canada) Elkrun Township, Ohio List of townships in Missouri Ballville Township, Ohio List of township-level divisions of Hebei List of townships in South Korea Kiowa Rural Township, Kiowa County, Kansas Green Camp Township, Marion County, Ohio List of Oklahoma townships Chauk Township Bokescreek Township, Ohio Townships in Montgomeryshire Buffalo Township, Ohio Sandusky Township, Richland County, Ohio Thantlang Township Addison Township, Ohio List of township-level divisions of Guangxi Township (Scotland) List of township-level divisions of Jiangxi List of township-level divisions of Shanxi List of township-level divisions of Heilongjiang Canton Township, Ohio Brushcreek Township, Ohio List of townships in South Dakota Township (Nova Scotia) Yesagyo Township Kalamazoo Township, Michigan Miami Township, Clermont County, Ohio Dunham Township, Ohio National Association of Towns an
