A super Ministry of Transport has been announced. Li Jiaxiang, acting director of the CAAC, seen here, said the new ministry will see a consolidation of the functions of different government departments regulating aviation, communications and urban public transportation.

He said, ‘Airports should never be isolated from city planning. When a new airport is planned, the public transport system connecting downtown and the airport should also be designed. I believe such integrated service and regulation would be a major duty of the new ministry.’
‘Transportation should be a multi-dimensional system.’

The ministry will integrate the CAAC, the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Construction’s functions of urban public transportation management. The State Post Bureau will also be merged into the new ministry.

Li said the reshuffle would not result in jobs being cut at the CAAC. A State bureau of civil aviation will be formed under the Ministry of Transport, due to the peculiarity of the civil aviation industry.

Some specific departments of the CAAC, such as the aircraft airworthiness certification and flight standard departments are expected to remain, while departments performing general functions, such as the administrative office and human resources department, are likely to be merged.

Li Lei, an aviation analyst with CITICS China Securities, said, ‘Currently, China’s logistics and transportation system is separately regulated by different government bodies. That has resulted in high costs, a waste of resources and low efficiency. By integrating their functions, the new ministry can increase efficiency in the overall planning and management of transportation infrastructure.’

He said effective communication and coordination within the ministry would be key to fulfilling its responsibility.
Source: China Daily