Report on State Council institutional reform and transformation of government functions

BEIJING - Following are the highlights of a report on the State Council institutional reform and transformation of government functions to be delivered Sunday by State Councilor Ma Kai to the annual session of the National People's Congress, the top legislature.

According to the proposal, China plans to:

-- dismantle the Railway Ministry, with its administrative powers incorporated into the Ministry of Transport and the National Development and Reform Commission. The China Railway Corporation will run the existing Railway Ministry's commercial functions;

-- set up the National Health and Family Planning Commission through merging the existing Health Ministry with the National Population and Family Planning Commission;

-- elevate the status of the State Administration of Food and Drug to a general administration in order to improve food and drug safety;

-- merge its two media regulators, the General Administration of Press and Publication and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, into one to oversee the country's press, publication, radio, film and television sectors;

-- restructure the country's top oceanic administration to enhance maritime law enforcement and strengthen protection and use of its oceanic resources; and

-- restructure the National Energy Administration in order to streamline administrative and regulatory system of the energy sector.