In a momentous restructuring of the Chinese government, authorized by China’s National People’s Congress, the highest legislative body in the country, 15 ministries and commissions were shut down or merged into other bodies. 

Here’s one way we know how this institutional reform is different from the seven prior rounds since the advent of reform and opening-up in 1978. 

Often, in the past, the actual reforms, compared with what had been expected, were underwhelming, weaker than what had been expected. This time, under powerful but down-to-earth President Xi Jinping, it was just the opposite – the actual government reform was overwhelming, stronger than what had been expected. Institutional reform streamlines government, facilitates business and encourages innovation. What is the significance of these institutional reforms? How do they articulate with President Xi’s grand vision? CGTN commentator Robert Lawrence Kuhn provides his insights.