The Organic Law of the Villagers Committees of China was promulgated in 1998, and amended in 2010 and 2018 respectively. The latest revision entered into force on December 29, 2018.

There are 41 articles in total.

The key points are as follows:

1.A villagers committee shall manage the public affairs and public welfare undertakings of the village, mediate disputes among the villagers, help maintain public order, and convey the villagers’ opinions and demands and make suggestions to the people’s government. A villagers committee shall be responsible and report its work to the villagers assembly or the assembly of villagers representatives.(Article 2)

2.A villagers committee shall, in accordance with the provisions of laws, administer the affairs concerning the land and other property owned collectively by the peasants of the village.(Article 8)

3.The chairman, vice-chairman (Article vice-chairmen) and members of a villagers committee shall be elected directly by the villagers.(Article 11)

4.A villagers committee shall implement the democratic decision mechanism, which is that the minority is subordinate to the majority.(Article 29)

6.The governments shall provide necessary conditions for the villagers committees to assist the governments in their work.(Article 37)