Page 16 - 2023 OUTLINE OF THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Civil Affairs

I. Civil Affairs Organization

Civil affairs are the root of public affairs. The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is the competent authority
for civil affairs on behalf of the central government. The Department of Civil Affairs is in charge of manag-
ing the various autonomous operations of local self-governments, public productive enterprises, media-

tion agencies, political parties, elections, political donations, lobbying, religious groups, ancestor worship
guilds, funeral services, national emblem, national flag, national honor and etiquette systems, as well as
other civil affairs. The government bureau handling civil affairs for each special municipality, county, and
city area is the Bureau of Civil Affairs or the Department of Civil Affairs. These administrative authorities

enforce various civil policies, in order to maintain public well-being.

II. Local Government

In accordance with the Constitution of the ROC, the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the ROC,

and the Local Government Act, the local government system is subdivided into provinces and special mu-
nicipalities with provinces further subdivided into counties and cities (hereinafter referred to as counties/
cities); counties are then subdivided into townships and county-administered cities (hereinafter referred to
as townships/cities). Special municipalities and cities are apportioned into districts. Townships, county-ad-

ministered cities, and districts are separated into villages, while villages are zoned into neighborhoods. In
sum, there are two levels of local self-governing bodies that carry out local self-government: the first level
comprises special municipalities and counties/cities; the second level comprises townships/cities and
mountain indigenous districts of special municipalities. Currently there are 6 special municipalities (Taipei,

New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung), 13 counties (Yilan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Changhua,
Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi, Pingtung, Hualien, Taitung, Penghu, Kinmen, and Lienchiang), and 3 cities (Keelung,
Hsinchu, and Chiayi). Nationwide, there are 146 villages, 38 townships, 14 county-administered cities and
170 districts.

The composition of administrative levels is as follows:

1. Special municipalities shall have councils and governments; the mayor and councilors shall be elected
by their respective residents in accordance with the relevant laws, and shall serve four-year terms.

2. Counties/cities shall have appropriate councils and governments and the magistrates/mayors and
councilors of a county/city shall be elected by their residents in accordance with the relevant laws

to serve four-year terms.

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