View source for Civil Aviation Administration of China

{{Short description|Government agency for civil aviation in China}}
{{use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{about|the civil aviation authority of China|for the defunct airline of the same name|CAAC (airline)}}
{{Infobox government agency
| name            = Civil Aviation Administration of China
| nativename_a    = {{lang|zh-CN|中国民用航空局}}
| nativename_r    = 
| logo            = National Emblem of the People's Republic of China (2).svg
| logo_width      = 100px
| logo_caption    = [[National Emblem of the People's Republic of China|National Emblem of China]]
| seal            = CAAC_logo.svg
| seal_width      = 200px
| seal_caption    = Emblem of the Civil Aviation Administration of China
| image           = 157-155 West Dongsi Street Beijing.jpg 
| image_caption   = CAAC headquarters in [[Beijing]]
| formed          = {{start date and age|1949}}
| preceding1      = 
| preceding2      = 
| dissolved       = 
| superseding     = 
| jurisdiction    = {{China}}
| headquarters    = [[Dongcheng, Beijing|Dongcheng]], Beijing
| employees       = 
| budget          = 
| minister1_name  = 
| minister1_pfo   = 
| chief1_name     = Song Zhiyong ({{as of|lc=yes|January 2023}})<ref>{{cite web | title=Leadership | website=中国民用航空局 | url=http://www.caac.gov.cn/en/GYMH/LDJS/ | access-date=30 January 2023}}</ref>
| chief1_position = Administrator
| chief2_name     = 
| chief2_position = 
| parent_agency   = [[Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China|Ministry of Transport]]
| child1_agency   = 
| child2_agency   = 
| website         = {{url|https://www.caac.gov.cn|caac.gov.cn}}
| footnotes       = 
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| title = Civil Aviation Administration of China
| order = st
| s = 中国民用航空局
| t = 中國民用航空局
| p = Zhōngguó mínyòng hángkōngjú
| j = zung<sup>1</sup>gwok<sup>3</sup>man<sup>4</sup> jung<sup>6</sup> hong<sup>4</sup>hung<sup>1</sup> guk<sup>6</sup>
}}

The '''Civil Aviation Administration of China''' ('''CAAC'''; {{zh|s=中国民用航空局|first=s|labels=no|p=Zhōngguó Mínyòng Hángkōngjú}}) is the [[civil aviation authority]] of the [[People's Republic of China]], under the [[Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China|Ministry of Transport]]. It oversees [[civil aviation]] and investigates [[aviation accidents and incidents]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.anpac.it/download/Vari/08LEGBL01_IFALPA_Legal_Directory.pdf |title=Legal directory |access-date=2009-06-09 |archive-date=3 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200503070524/http://www.anpac.it/download/Vari/08LEGBL01_IFALPA_Legal_Directory.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> 

As the aviation authority responsible for China, it concludes civil aviation agreements with other aviation authorities, including those of the [[special administrative regions of China]] which are categorized as "special domestic."<ref>"Air Services Arrangement between the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region", a treaty. This calls intranational service "specially managed domestic".</ref>{{better source|date=January 2023}} It directly operated [[CAAC (airline)|its own airline]], China's aviation monopoly, until 1988. The agency is headquartered in [[Dongcheng, Beijing]].<ref>"[http://www.caac.gov.cn/ZZJS/ English] {{Dead|date=January 2023}} {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090906023811/http://www.caac.gov.cn/ZZJS/ |date=September 6, 2009 }}." {{dead|date=January 2023}}Civil Aviation Administration of China. Retrieved on 9 June 2009. "北京市东城区东四西大街155号."</ref>

==History==
On 2 November 1949, shortly after the founding of the [[People's Republic of China]], the [[CCP Central Committee]] decided to found the Civil Aviation Agency under the name of the [[Central Military Commission (China)|People's Revolutionary Military Commission]], and under the command of the [[People's Liberation Army Air Force]], to manage all non-military aviation in the country, as well as provide general and commercial flight services. The Civil Aviation Agency was created in December of the same year, and established offices in [[Chongqing]], [[Guangzhou]], [[Shanghai]], [[Tianjin]], and [[Wuhan]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=成立军委民航局 - 中国民航局60周年档案展|url=http://www.caac.gov.cn/D1/60years/jkcy/cl|work=CAAC|accessdate=2013-04-12|language=zh-hans|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426130325/http://www.caac.gov.cn/d1/60years/jkcy/cl/|archivedate=2012-04-26|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 10 March 1950, the Guangzhou Office began to work, managing civil flight services in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hunan. Later, it was merged with Wuhan Office to form the Civil Aviation Office of Central and Southern China on 21 January 1951, in Guangzhou, it was renamed Central and Southern Civil Aviation Office, working for civil flight administrations in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hubei, and Hunan.{{fact|date=January 2024}}

On 7 May 1952, the People's Revolutionary Military Commission and the [[State Council of the People's Republic of China|State Council]] issued the ''Decision for Reorganizing Civil Aviation'' ({{Lang-zh|s=关于整编民用航空的决定}}) and the Civil Aviation Agency of the People's Revolutionary Military Commission was transferred to the military system and was under the direct control of the PLA Air Force, then split the civil aviation administration division and airline division to form the separate Civil Aviation Agency and civil airline. Under this decision, from July to November 1951, the Civil Aviation Agency had four administration offices in Shanghai (Eastern China), Guangzhou (Central-Southern), Chongqing (Southwestern China), and Tianjin (Northern China). The Southern China branch was briefly renamed the Civil Aviation Administration Office of Southern China. On 17 July 1952, the People's Aviation Company of China was created, headquartered in Tianjin.<ref>{{Cite web|title=中国人民航空公司始末 - 中国民航局60周年档案展 |url=http://www.caac.gov.cn/website/old/D1/60years/jkcy/rmhk/|work=CAAC|accessdate=2021-02-20|language=zh-hans}}</ref>

On 9 June 1953, following [[Aeroflot]] in the Soviet Union, the People's Aviation Company of China was merged with the Civil Aviation Agency of the Central Revolutionary Military Commission, and domestic services were continued under the name 'Civil Aviation' ({{Lang-zh|s=民用航空}}). Later, the [[SKOGA]] was merged with the Beijing administration office on 1 January 1955.<ref name="bj_avia">{{cite book|author=北京市地方志编纂委员会|title=北京志·市政卷·民用航空志|publisher=[[Beijing Publishing House]]|year=2000|isbn=7-200-04040-1|language=zh}}</ref>{{rp|275}}

In November 1954, the Civil Aviation Agency of the People's Revolutionary Military Commission was renamed Civil Aviation Agency of China. It was transferred to the State Council and came under the leadership of both State Council and PLA Air Force. The PLA Air Force was also responsible for technical, flight, aircrew, communicating, human resources, and political works. After the merger with SKOGA, the new airline continued to operate under the name 'Civil Aviation' until early 1957 before changing its operating name to CAAC ({{Lang-zh|s=中国民航}}).

On 27 February 1958, the Civil Aviation Agency was transferred to the [[Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China|Ministry of Transport]]. Later, the Agency ratified the ''Report for the Opinions of System Devolving'' ({{Lang-zh|s=关于体制下放意见的报告}}) from the party branch of the Ministry of Transport in 17 June. Both national and local authorities have responsibilities of civil aviation. International and main domestic flights were mainly under the leadership of the national authority while local and agricultural flights were mainly under the leadership of local authority. Thus, most provinces and autonomous regions established their own civil aviation administration offices. Five administration offices in Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Ürümqi were changed to be regional administration agencies in 13 December. The Agency was renamed the General Administration of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transport on 17 November 1960.

In April 1962, the Presidium of the 2nd National People's Congress decided to rename the General Administration of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transport to the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China on the 53rd meeting. It was transferred to the State Council and was managed by the PLA Air Force. The General Administration of Civil Aviation was transferred to the PLA Air Force on 20 November 1969.
[[File:Ilyushin Il-62 2026 CAAC SVO 19.09.74 edited-3.jpg|thumb|right|CAAC Ilyushin Il-62 at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport in 1974]]
In 1963, China purchased six [[Vickers Viscount]] aircraft from Great Britain, followed in 1971 by the purchase of four [[Hawker Siddeley Trident]] aircraft from [[Pakistan International Airlines]].  In August 1971, the airline purchased six Trident 2Es directly from Hawker Siddeley.<ref>Tridents for China, Flight International, 2 September 1971, p. 348</ref>  The country also placed provisional orders for three [[Concorde]] aircraft.  With the [[1972 Nixon visit to China]], the country ordered 10 [[Boeing 707]] jets. In December 1973, it took the unprecedented step of borrowing £40 million from Western banks to fund the purchase of 15 additional Trident jets. Soviet-built [[Ilyushin Il-62]] aircraft were used on long range routes during the 1970s and 1980s.

On 5 March 1980, the General Administration of Civil Aviation was no longer managed by the PLA Air Force, and was transferred to the State Council.<ref>{{cite web|title=庆祝新中国民航成立70周年专题 (1980) |url=http://www.caac.gov.cn/ZTZL/RDZT/DCMH70N/DSJ/201910/t20191031_199247.html |work=CAAC |accessdate=2021-02-20 |language=zh-hans}}</ref> Some administrative works were still under the People's Liberation Army and the air controlling was managed by [[People's Liberation Army General Staff Department|PLA General Stuff Department]] and Air Force Command.

On 30 January 1987, the State Council ratified the ''Report for the Reform Solution and Executive Steps of the Civil Aviation System Administration System'' ({{Lang-zh|s=关于民航系统管理体制改革方案和实施步骤的报告}}).<ref>{{cite web|title=庆祝新中国民航成立70周年专题 (1987) |url=http://www.caac.gov.cn/ZTZL/RDZT/DCMH70N/DSJ/201910/t20191031_199254.html |work=CAAC |accessdate=2021-02-20 |language=zh-hans}}</ref> Since then, CAAC acted solely as a government agency and reorganized six regional administration agencies, and no longer provided commercial flight services. In 1988, the airline [[CAAC (airline)|CAAC]] was divided into a number of individual air carriers, many of them named after the region of China where it had its hub.

On 19 April 1993, the General Administration of Civil Aviation was elevated to a ministry-level agency of the State Council.

In March 2008, CAAC was made a subsidiary of the newly created Ministry of Transport, and its official Chinese name was slightly adjusted to reflect its being no longer a ministry-level agency. Its official English name has remained Civil Aviation Administration of China.

On 11 March 2019, the CAAC was the first civil aviation authority to [[Boeing 737 MAX groundings|ground]] the [[Boeing 737 MAX]].<ref>For a full timeline of the groundings, see {{section link|Boeing 737 MAX groundings#Regulators}}.</ref> After so doing, most of the world's aviation authorities grounded the MAX, including the [[European Union Aviation Safety Agency]] the next day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.easa.europa.eu/newsroom-and-events/press-releases/easa-suspends-all-boeing-737-max-operations-europe|title=EASA suspends all Boeing 737 Max operations in Europe|date=2019-03-12|website=[[European Union Aviation Safety Agency]]|access-date=2019-09-18}}</ref> It took the US [[Federal Aviation Administration]] until 13 March to ground the MAX.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.faa.gov/news/updates/media/Emergency_Order.pdf|title=Emergency Order of Prohibition|date=2019-03-13|publisher=[[Federal Aviation Administration]]|access-date=2019-03-13}}</ref> Aviation commentators saw this as having bolstered the global reputation of the CAAC at the expense of the FAA.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-chinese-regulators-faa-boeing-737-max-20190313-story.html|title=Chinese air safety regulators gain global influence as FAA refuses to ground Boeing 737 Max|date=2019-03-13|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-trump-air-safety-leadership-20190315-story.html|title=Across the globe, a question of air safety becomes a question of American leadership|date=2019-03-15|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/13/business/boeing-737-max-global-approval/index.html|title=Boeing desperately needs to get the 737 Max back in the air. Getting it approved will be hard|last=Isidore|first=Chris|website=CNN|date=13 May 2019|access-date=2019-09-18|quote=The 737 Max does not appear close to flying again. Aviation experts doubt global regulators will act in concert to approve the 737 Max for flight, because serious questions remain about how and why the FAA approved the 737 Max for flight and whether it rushed the certification process.}}</ref> After the MAX was cleared to return by the FAA in November 2020,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Boeing Responds to FAA Approval to Resume 737 MAX Operations|url=https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2020-11-18-Boeing-Responds-to-FAA-Approval-to-Resume-737-MAX-Operations|access-date=2020-12-19|website=MediaRoom}}</ref> the CAAC reiterated that there "is no set timetable" to lifting the MAX grounding in China.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chua2020-11-20T07:58:00+00:00|first=Alfred|title=China in no hurry to return 737 Max to service|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transport/china-in-no-hurry-to-return-737-max-to-service/141230.article|access-date=2020-12-19|website=Flight Global|language=en}}</ref> In early August 2021, a MAX made a test flight in Shanghai for validation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://hk.finance.yahoo.com/news/%E6%B3%A2%E9%9F%B3737-max%E9%96%8B%E5%95%9F%E5%BE%80%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E7%9A%84%E8%A9%A6%E9%A3%9B%E4%B9%8B%E6%97%85-%E6%9C%9F%E5%BE%85%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC%E8%A7%A3%E9%99%A4%E7%A6%81%E9%A3%9B%E4%BB%A4-155552036.html|title=波音737 Max開啟往中國的試飛之旅 期待北京解除禁飛令|work=Bloomberg|language=zh|date=2021-08-04|accessdate=2022-01-16|archive-date=2021-10-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018133338/https://hk.finance.yahoo.com/news/%E6%B3%A2%E9%9F%B3737-max%E9%96%8B%E5%95%9F%E5%BE%80%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E7%9A%84%E8%A9%A6%E9%A3%9B%E4%B9%8B%E6%97%85-%E6%9C%9F%E5%BE%85%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC%E8%A7%A3%E9%99%A4%E7%A6%81%E9%A3%9B%E4%BB%A4-155552036.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Later, the CAAC issued an airworthiness directive on 2 December to allow the type return to service if the MCAS is corrected following Boeing's instructions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=波音737MAX重获中国适航许可 复飞还要多久？|url=https://www.kankanews.com/a/2021-12-03/0039964058.shtml|access-date=2021-12-03|date=2022-01-16|work=Kankan News|language=zh|archive-date=2021-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206014900/http://www.kankanews.com/a/2021-12-03/0039964058.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Current role ==
[[File:CAACHQBeijing.JPG|thumb|CAAC headquarters]]
Currently, CAAC is an administrative department mostly intended to supervise the civil aviation market. CAAC releases route applications every week and for routes that do not fly to an open-sky country/region, there will be monthly scoring releases that determine the score for each of them. CAAC subsequently grants permission to start on those who score highest on the list.

CAAC also issues frequent operation data and notices.

CAAC administers China's no-fly list.<ref name=":44">{{Cite book |last=Brussee |first=Vincent |title=Social Credit: The Warring States of China's Emerging Data Empire |publisher=[[Palgrave MacMillan]] |year=2023 |isbn=9789819921881 |location=Singapore}}</ref>{{Rp|page=113}}

==List of directors==
List of Directors of the Civil Aviation Administration of China:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.caac.gov.cn/GYMH/MHGK/LRJLD/ |title=历任局长 |publisher=Civil Aviation Administration of China |access-date=17 December 2017 |language=zh}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Chinese name
!Took office
!Left office
|-
|[[Zhong Chibing]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|钟赤兵}}
|November 1949
|October 1952
|-
|[[Zhu Huizhao]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|朱辉照}}
|October 1952
|June 1955
|-
|[[Kuang Rennong]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|邝任农}}
|June 1955
|June 1973
|-
|[[Ma Renhui]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|马仁辉}}
|June 1973
|June 1975
|-
|[[Liu Cunxin]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|刘存信}}
|June 1975
|December 1977
|-
|[[Shen Tu (politician)|Shen Tu]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|沈图}}
|December 1977
|March 1985
|-
|[[Hu Yizhou]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|胡逸洲}}
|March 1985
|February 1991
|-
|[[Jiang Zhuping]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|蒋祝平}}
|February 1991
|December 1993
|-
|[[Chen Guangyi]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|陈光毅}}
|December 1993
|June 1998
|-
|[[Liu Jianfeng (PRC)|Liu Jianfeng]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|刘剑锋}}
|June 1998
|June 1998
|-
|[[Yang Yuanyuan]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|杨元元}}
|May 2002
|December 2007
|-
|[[Li Jiaxiang]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|李家祥}}
|December 2007
|January 2016
|-
|[[Feng Zhenglin]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|冯正霖}}
|January 2016
|July 2022
|-
|[[Song Zhiyong]]
|{{lang|zh-Hans|宋志勇}}
|July 2022
|''Incumbent''
|}

== Affiliate subsidiaries ==
[[File:FlightInspectionCenterCAAC.JPG|thumb|Flight Inspection Center of CAAC]]
* Air Traffic Administration Bureau (ATMB) in [[Beijing]]
* [[Civil Aviation University of China]] (CAUC) in [[Tianjin]]
* [[Civil Aviation Flight University of China]] (CAFUC) in [[Guanghan]]
* Civil Aviation Management Institute of China (CAMIC) in Beijing
* China Academy of Civil Aviation Science and Technology — Center of Aviation Safety Technology, CAAC in Beijing
* CAAC Second Research Institute in [[Chengdu]]
* China Civil Aviation Publishing Press in Beijing
* Civil Aviation Medical Center — Civil Aviation General Hospital in Beijing
* CAAC Settlement Center in Beijing
* CAAC Information Center in Beijing
* CAAC Audition Center in Beijing
* [[Capital Airport Holding|Capital Airports Holdings Limited]] (CAH) in Beijing
* CAAC International Cooperation and Service Center in Beijing
* China Airport Construction Corporation (CACC) in Beijing
* China Civil Aviation Engine Airworthiness Audition Center
* Flight Inspection Center of CAAC in Beijing
* CAAC Museum

== See also ==
{{Portal|China|Aviation}}
* [[Transport in the People's Republic of China]]
* [[List of airports in the People's Republic of China]]
* [[China's busiest airports by passenger traffic]]
* [[List of airlines of the People's Republic of China]]
* [[Civil aviation in China]]
* [[Civil Aviation Department (Hong Kong)]]
* [[Civil Aviation Authority (Macau)]]
* [[Civil Aviation Administration (Taiwan)]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Civil Aviation Administration of China}}
* [https://www.caac.gov.cn/ CAAC Official site] {{in lang|zh-cn}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.caac.gov.cn/English/ CAAC Official site] (Archive)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120306122345/http://www.chinacfi.net/ Flight Inspection Center of CAAC] {{in lang|en}}/{{in lang|zh-cn}}
* [http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-2814.html China - Civil Aviation]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100310161805/http://www.camic.cn/ Civil Aviation Management Institute of China, Civil Aviation Safety Institute] {{in lang|zh-cn}}
* [https://permit2fly.com/region/asia/china-overflight-permits.html Flight Information Region In China]

{{Clear}}
{{State Council of the People's Republic of China}}
{{Transport in China}}
{{Aviation accident orgs}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Civil Aviation Administration Of China}}
[[Category:Civil Aviation Administration of China| ]]
[[Category:Civil aviation in China]]
[[Category:Air navigation service providers]]
[[Category:Dongcheng District, Beijing]]
[[Category:1949 establishments in China]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1949]]