1. To implement the state’s diplomatic principles and policies and related laws and regulations; safeguard national sovereignty, security and interests on behalf of the state; run diplomatic affairs on behalf of the state and the government; and handle diplomatic activities between leaders of the CPC and the state with foreign leaders.
2. To study overarching and strategic issues in international situation and international relations; analyze major issues concerning diplomatic work in such areas as politics, economy, culture and security; and advise the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on adopting diplomatic strategies, principles and policies.
3. To coordinate with relavant government departments according to the overall diplomatic planning, and report and give suggestions to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on major issues including foreign trade, economic cooperation and assistance, culture, military aid, arms trade, Chinese nationals abroad, education, science and technology, and public diplomacy.
4. To draft laws, regulations and policy plans concerning diplomatic work.
5. To handle global and regional security, political, economic, human rights, social, refugee and other diplomatic affairs in the United Naions and other multilateral fora.
6. To deal with matters in international arms control, disarmment and non-proliferation; research international security issues; and organize negotiations on treaties and agreements related to arms control.
7. To conclude bilateral and multilateral treaties, handle international judicial cooperation, oversee or participate in dealing with major foreign-related legal cases that involve the state or the government, assist in examining foreign-related draft laws and regulations, and organize and coordinate the work of fulfilling international conventions and agreements.
8. To lead or participate in efforts to formulate policies related to land and maritime boundaries; guide and coordinate foreign-related maritime work; organize the work of border delimitation, boundary demarcation and joint inspections, and handle relevant foreign-related cases; and conduct diplomatic negotiations on maritime delimitation and joint development.
9. To release information about important diplomatic activities, elaborate on foreign policies, conduct information-related work about important diplomatic activities, organize public diplomacy activities, and take charge of the affairs related to foreign journalists in China and resident foreign news agencies.
10. To oversee the state’s foreign-related protocol and ceremonial affairs; oversee the protocol arrangements of important diplomatic activities of the state; and oversee the courteous reception, diplomatic privileges and immunities accorded to foreign diplomatic missions in China.
11. To oversee consular work. To regulate the activities of foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China; oversee work related to consular affairs of Chinese nationals abroad; conduct or participate in handling representations regarding foreign-related cases in China; oversee consular protection and assistance, coordinate relevant government departments, local authorities and guide Chinese diplomatic missions abroad in handling cases requiring consular protection and assistance, and release warning information for consular protection and assistance.
12. To coordinate efforts to handle urgent incidents abroad concerning Chinese interests, safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and institutions abroad, and take part in efforts to handle urgent incidents in China which involve foreigners.
13. To handle, in accordance with law, diplomatic and consular affairs in Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, and handle foreign affairs related to Taiwan.
14. To guide and coordinate foreign affairs work of local government and State Council departments, examine important foreign affairs regulations of local government and State Council departments as well as the requests to the State Council for instructions concerning foreign affairs, and put forward recommendations together with relevant government departments on the handling of major incidents involving violations of laws and regulations governing foreign affairs.
15. To handle and coordinate foreign affairs concerning national security.
16. To provide interpretation for important diplomatic activities of the state and translation of diplomatic documents and correspondence.
17. To lead Chinese diplomatic missions abroad and the offices of Commissioners in Hong Kong and Macao; oversee the personnel and organizational work of diplomatic missions abroad; provide directions to Chinese diplomatic missions abroad and offices of Commissioners in Hong Kong and Macao on the use of information technology, financial management and premises construction; and regulate the use of real property by foreign diplomatic missions in China.
18. To oversee the work of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and oversee the foreign affairs work of the Red Cross Society of China and China Soong Ching Ling Foundation.
19. To perform other tasks given by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.

1. General Office
• Phone:010 65961100 65961566;Fax:010 6559 1516
• The General Office coordinates the work in the Ministry. It is responsible for the circulation of documents and telegrams in the Ministry and the management of information technology application in the Ministry and China's overseas diplomatic missions. It coordinates the handling of emergencies involving foreign country or party.</p>
2. Department of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Affairs
• Phone:010 65963600;
• The Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs develops diplomatic policies concerning the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Macao SAR and Taiwan, reports on and coordinates related diplomatic affairs, guides the operation of the Offices of the Commissioners of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR and manages the participation of unofficial mainland organizations in international conferences and activities in Taiwan.
3. Department of Translation and Interpretation
• Phone:010 65963800;
• The Department of Translation and Interpretation is responsible for providing English and French translation of important state diplomatic documents and instruments and English and French interpretation service at important diplomatic functions. It offers professional training to high-level English and French translators and interpreters of the Ministry.
4. Department of Foreign Affairs Management
• Phone:010 65961800;
• The Department of Foreign Affairs Management drafts laws and regulations concerning foreign affairs management and reviews major foreign affairs regulations of local governments, State Council ministries and agencies and central state-owned enterprises and foreign affairs documents to be submitted to the State Council for approval. It coordinates the foreign affairs work of local and central government departments and consults with other foreign affairs departments to advice on the handling of serious violations of foreign affairs laws and regulations.
5. Department of External Security Affairs
• Phone:010 65961400;
• The Department of External Security Affairs reports on external security issues and makes policy recommendations, coordinates and manages relevant work, guides the related operation of China’s overseas diplomatic missions, and coordinates the administration of activities of foreign non-governmental organizations in China.
6. Department of Personnel
• Phone:010 65965100;
• The Department of Personnel is in charge of personnel management of the Ministry and China's overseas diplomatic missions. It appoints and removes senior officials at overseas missions and the Offices of the Commissioners of the MFA in the Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR. It is responsible for research on and improving personnel management regulations of overseas missions by working with other departments, and developing and guiding the implementation of educational and training plans for diplomatic personnel.
7. Bureau for Retired Personnel
• Phone:010 65965200;
• </p>

  The Bureau for Retired Personnel serves the retired personnel of the Ministry and guides the retired personnel work in agencies directly affiliated to the MFA. </p>

8. Administrative Department
• Phone:010 65965300;
• The Administrative Department is responsible for the construction of overseas diplomatic missions and policy-related management of real estate of foreign diplomatic missions in China and bilateral matters concerning diplomatic premises. It is also responsible for construction project planning and fund allocation in the Ministry and its directly affiliated agencies. It manages real estate and relevant fixed assets of the Ministry and China's overseas diplomatic missions.
9. Department of Finance
• Phone:010 65965407;
• </p>

  The Department of Finance prepares budget and final account for the Ministry and manages the collection and hand-over of administrative charges. It develops financial regulations for China's overseas diplomatic missions, participates in the development of national diplomatic and foreign-related financial regulations, and audits and guides the financial operation of the Ministry and its directly affiliated agencies and overseas diplomatic missions. It also manages MFA's government procurement affairs.</p>

10. Bureau of Archives
• Phone:010-65966200;
• The Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a departmental archives and a base for permanent preservation of the diplomatic records accumulated since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Its main functions are: to collect and permanently manage records accumulated in the Ministry and its subordinate units; to guide and supervise the archival work of the departments and subordinate units of the Ministry, Chinese diplomatic and consular missions overseas and offices of the commissioners of the Foreign Ministry to the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions; to procure, select, distribute and manage diplomacy-related books, periodicals, newspapers and reference books for departments of the Ministry and overseas missions and provide access to them. The Archives assumes the administrative functions over its own archival work.
11. Department of Supervision
• Phone:010 65966431;
• To supervise and inspect the organs of the Foreign Ministry and the units directly under the Ministry and civil servants in accordance with the Administrative Supervisory Law of the People's Republic of China. Functions are as follows: 1. To inspect the observance and implementation of laws, regulations, Government decrees and orders by the organs of the Foreign Ministry and the units directly under the Ministry; 2. To handle accusations and complaints of breaches of regulations lodged against the organs of the Foreign Ministry, the civil servants and other personnel appointed by these organs; 3. To investigate and handle the breaches of regulations on the part of the organs of the Foreign Ministry, the civil servants and other personnel appointed by these organs; 4. To handle the appeals filed by civil servants and other personnel appointed by the organs of the Foreign Ministry against the administrative disciplinary actions imposed on them by the competent organs and those appeals which should be dealt with by supervisory bodies as stipulated in laws and administrative regulations; 5. Other duties that should be discharged by supervisory bodies as provided for by administrative regulations.
12. Bureau for Chinese Diplomatic Missions Abroad
• Phone:010-65966500 ;
• The Bureau for Chinese Diplomatic Missions Overseas works to improve the work style of senior officials and the ideological and political work in Chinese overseas diplomatic missions.
13. Department of Services for Foreign Ministry Home a
• Phone:010-65250962, 65276580;Fax:010-65122507
• The Department of Services for Foreign Ministry Home and Overseas Offices, was established On January 24 1994. It is an institution directly affiliated to the Foreign Ministry. In addition to its office, there are under the Department Divisions of Routine Business, Transport, Overall Services, Estates and Buildings Management, Purchases and Supply for Overseas Offices, Huafeng Hotel and others. Its main responsibility is to provide services for the Foreign Ministry and the Chinese diplomatic and consular missions overseas.
14. Department of Consular Affairs
• Phone:010 65963500;
• The Department of Consular Affairs is responsible for a full range of consular affairs, including managing China's consular relations with foreign countries; issuing diplomatic passports, service passports and passports for public affairs; providing consular-related notary and authentication services; processing visas; administering foreign consular institutions in China; coordinating the handling of criminal and civil cases involving foreign nationals in China and making representations; protecting overseas Chinese; managing immigration affairs in cooperation with other departments; providing consular protection and assistance, developing policies and regulations and issuing early warnings and information on consular protection and assistance; and guiding the consular operation of China's overseas diplomatic missions and foreign affairs offices of local governments.
15. Protocol Department
• Phone:010 65963400;
• The Protocol Department is responsible for state protocol matters and ceremonial events. It organizes and coordinates protocol affairs for major state diplomatic functions and manages matters related to courteous reception and diplomatic privileges and immunities of foreign diplomatic missions and relevant personnel in China. It also develops protocol rules.
16. Information Department
• Phone:010 65963300;
• The Information Department is responsible for releasing information on China's major diplomatic events and stating China's foreign policy. It manages press coverage on major diplomatic events. It guides China's overseas diplomatic missions on information work and provides service to permanent offices of foreign media organizations and foreign journalists in China. It also covers public diplomacy and information collection and processing.
17. Policy Planning Department
• Phone:010 65961300 65961566;Fax:010 6559 1516
• The Department of Policy Planning reports on issues of overall and strategic importance concerning the global situation and in international relations. It develops diplomatic policies and programs and is involved in the drafting of annual foreign assistance plan. It also drafts important documents and speeches, makes foreign policy pronouncements, and coordinates research and analytical work. It oversees the compilation of China's diplomatic history.
18. Department of Asian Affairs
• Phone:010 65962100;
• The Department of implements China's foreign policy and principles. It reports and works on China's bilateral relations with countries and regions concerned, manages diplomatic contacts with and makes representations to relevant countries and regions, oversees and coordinates policies on and cooperation and exchanges with relevant countries and regions and guides the operation of China's overseas diplomatic missions within its regional jurisdiction. It is responsible for translation and interpretation for important diplomatic functions, documents and instruments in relevant languages.
19. Department of West Asian and North African Affairs
• Phone:010 65962200;
• The Department of implements China's foreign policy and principles. It reports and works on China's bilateral relations with countries and regions concerned, manages diplomatic contacts with and makes representations to relevant countries and regions, oversees and coordinates policies on and cooperation and exchanges with relevant countries and regions and guides the operation of China's overseas diplomatic missions within its regional jurisdiction. It is responsible for translation and interpretation for important diplomatic functions, documents and instruments in relevant languages.
20. Department of African Affairs
• Phone:010-65962300;
• The Department of implements China's foreign policy and principles. It reports and works on China's bilateral relations with countries and regions concerned, manages diplomatic contacts with and makes representations to relevant countries and regions, oversees and coordinates policies on and cooperation and exchanges with relevant countries and regions and guides the operation of China's overseas diplomatic missions within its regional jurisdiction. It is responsible for translation and interpretation for important diplomatic functions, documents and instruments in relevant languages.