Huaihua Municipal Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs (“the Bureau” hereinafter) is a director-level department of the People’s Government of Huaihua City. The Bureau, under the unified leadership and management of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Huaihua Municipal Committee, handles ethnic and religious affairs in Huaihua City. It has 18 budgeted posts, all of which are civil servant posts. There are five divisions in the Bureau, namely the Office, Policies & Regulations Division (Administrative Review & Approval Service Division), Economic Development Division, Culture & Education Division, and Religious Affairs Division. The Bureau’s secondary institution, Huaihua Ethnic Studies and Religious Affairs Center, is a section-level public institution with seven fully budgeted posts. In 2022, the Bureau has 24 staff members (including those at the Huaihua Ethnic Studies and Religious Affairs Center).
The ethnic work department of Huaihua was first set up in March 1953, which was called the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Qianyang Prefecture, with two full-time officials. In 1955, the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Qianyang Prefecture was abolished, whose work was then undertaken by the United Front Work Department of the Prefectural Party Committee. From June 1973 to February 1979, the Publicity Department of the Prefectural Party Committee was responsible for ethnic affairs, which were then taken charge of by the United Front Work Department in 1979. In July 1980, the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Qianyang District was reestablished. Later, since Qianyang District was renamed Huaihua District, the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Qianyang District was renamed Ethnic Affairs Committee of Huaihua District. In July 1983, the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Huaihua District was designated as an institution directly under the Prefectural Administrative Office, equivalent to a county-level institution. Its business was managed by the United Front Work Department of the Prefectural Party Committee. In August of the same year, the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Huaihua District was no longer an entity and retained only its name. During this period, it shared the same workforce with the United Front Work Department of the Prefectural Party Committee. In addition, the Ethnic & Religious Affairs Division was set up within the United Front Work Department of the Prefectural Party Committee, which was responsible for ethnic affairs across the district. In May 1984, the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Huaihua District was reestablished as a department of the Prefectural Administrative Office. Specifically, the Prefectural Administrative Office led work related to ethnic affairs, and the United Front Work Department of the Prefectural Party Committee was responsible for the management of relevant lines, guidelines, policies and officials. In December 1989, the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Huaihua District was officially designated as an institution of the Prefectural Administrative Office. Specifically, the latter directly led work related to ethnic affairs, and the Prefectural Administrative Office managed the officials of the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Huaihua District. In 1998, Huaihua was changed from a district to a city, and the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Huaihua District was renamed Huaihua Municipal Ethnic Affairs Committee, which was directly led by the People’s Government of Huaihua City and managed by the Office of People’s Government of Huaihua City. The religious work department of Huaihua was subordinate to the Religions Affairs Division of the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Huaihua District before 1992, and to the Religious Affairs Division of the United Front Work Department of the Prefectural Party Committee between 1992 and 1995. It was changed to the Huaihua District Religious Affairs Office in early 1996, and to the Religious Affairs Bureau of Huaihua Prefectural Administrative Office in July 1997 (a deputy-director-level institution of the office of the municipal government). In May 1998, as Huaihua was changed from a district to a city, the Religious Affairs Bureau of Huaihua Prefectural Administrative Office was changed to Huaihua Municipal Religious Affairs Bureau (a deputy-director-level institution of the office of the municipal government). Then, due to institutional reform in September 2010, Huaihua Municipal Religious Affairs Bureau was merged with Huaihua Municipal Ethnic Affairs Committee to form the Huaihua Municipal Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee. In April 2019, it was renamed Huaihua Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, which is under the unified leadership and management of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Huaihua Municipal Committee. The Bureau remains a department of the municipal government.
The main responsibilities of the Bureau are as follows:
1. The Bureau shall implement the guidelines, policies, laws, regulations and rules of the Party, the State, Hunan Provincial CPC Committee and People’s Government of Hunan Province on ethnic and religious work, investigate and study major ethnic and religious issues, as well as issues in the economic and social development of ethnic minority areas, and give suggestions on ethnic and religious work.
2. The Bureau shall make efforts in the publicity and education on ethnic and religious policies, laws and regulations. It shall also coordinate and guide the enforcement of the Law on Regional National Autonomy, organize and guide major celebrations in minority autonomous counties and ethnic townships, undertake the management of ethic composition, and review the ethnic composition of candidates for the college entrance examination.
3. The Bureau shall strengthen ties and exchanges with ethnic minority areas, carry out activities for promoting fellowship with ethnic groups in surrounding areas, and coordinate and maintain social stability in ethnic minority areas; hold activities for promoting ethnic unity and progress and relevant commendation activities; guide urban ethnic work, coordinate ethnic relations, and guide work related to ethnic minority groups living scattered and ethnic townships.
4. The Bureau shall research, analyze and advise on issues related to ethnic minority groups and economic development and social affairs of ethnic minority areas, and do well in providing paired assistance, promoting economic and technological cooperation and ethnic trade, and producing special products for ethnic minority groups. It shall also formulate special plans for the undertakings of ethnic minority groups, and supervise and inspect their implementation; work out plans for ethnic minority groups and ethnic minority areas on economic and social development; establish and improve the comprehensive evaluation and monitoring system for the development of the undertakings of ethnic minority groups; implement the ethnic affairs service system and information-based ethnic affairs management; and undertake the management and utilization of special funds for ethnic minority groups.
5. The Bureau shall formulate and implement plans for the training of ethnic minority personnel and religious affairs personnel, and assist relevant departments in the training, education, recommendation and appointment of ethnic minority officials. It shall also coordinate and support member units of the municipal leading group for ethnic and religious work in performing relevant duties, and give guidance on government ethnic and religious work.
6. The Bureau shall analyze special issues in terms of the culture, art, health, sports, press & publication and intangible cultural heritage of ethnic minority groups and ethnic minority areas, and give relevant suggestions; organize traditional sports meeting and art performance for ethnic minority groups; and undertake the collection, sorting and publication of ancient books of ethnic minority groups.
7. The Bureau shall coordinate and organize foreign exchange and cooperation activities in ethnic work, and receive ethnic minorities that go to Huaihua for studies, visits and inspections.
8. The Bureau shall be responsible for the centralized management of religious foreign affairs, coordinate relevant departments to handle such affairs, and help and guide the local religious circle in keeping friendly exchanges with their foreign counterparts.
9. The Bureau shall, in accordance with law, perform its duties for the management of religious affairs, protect citizens’ right to freedom of religious belief and normal religious activities, as well as the lawful rights and interests of the religious circle, and guide religious people and religious believers to play an active role in economic and social development. It shall undertake work related to Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, Christianity, folk belief and management matters, and assist relevant departments in handling religious emergencies. It shall also guide the registration and coding of venues for religious activities, and qualification and registration of religious personnel, and do well in the management of key temples and churches at the municipal level or above.
10. The Bureau shall manage patriotic religious groups in Huaihua, and do a good job in democratic consultation and cooperation; guide and help religious groups to train and educate religious personnel, and step up self-development; guide counties and districts to establish the “three-level network”, and handle matters of religious groups that require government assistance or coordination; guide the religious circle to conduct self-support work; guide lawful religious venues to carry out the “Five Entries and Five Qualities” activities, and assist relevant departments in the change of leadership of religious groups, and recommendation and arrangement of religious personnel.
11. The Bureau shall undertake other tasks assigned by the Huaihua Municipal Party Committee and People’s Government of Huaihua City.
Add: 4/F(W), Building B, Civic Service Center, Huaihua
Tel: 0745-2719211
Office Hours: Summer (July 1 - September 30): 8:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. -6:00 p.m.;
Winter (October 1 - June 30 of the following year): 8:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m., 2:30-5:30 p.m.
(Translated by Yu Jie)