(Promulgated¹ by the Document No. [1999]43 of the General Office of the State Council on May 10, 1999)
颁布日期：19990510 　实施日期：19990510 　颁布单位：国务院办公厅

　　In recent years, after the promulgation² of administrative³ regulations (including implementation⁴ rules and implementation regulations of laws) and statutory documents of the State Council or the General Office of the State Council concerning the fulfillment and implementation of laws and administrative regulations, some department or localities have brought forward some problems for interpretation⁵. In order to guarantee the proper implementation of laws and administrative regulations, further improve the work in relation to the interpretation of administrative regulations and statutory documents of the State Council or the General Office of the State Council concerning the fulfillment and implementation of laws and administrative regulations, circulars concerning some issues are now hereby issued as follows:

　　1.If there is a need to further clarify the definition of or to make supplementary⁶ provisions to the text of administrative regulations, the issue should be interpreted by the State Council. For this legislative⁷ interpretation, the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council should bring forward its opinions in accordance with the review procedures for draft administrative regulations, and then report to the State Council for approval. According to different circumstances, the interpretation, upon approval by the State Council, should be promulgated by the State Council or by the competent administrative department authorized⁸ by the State Council.

　　2.When the issue evolves from the specific application of administrative regulations during administration work, if the competent administrative department can make interpretation within its limits of powers, it should be responsible for making the interpretation. If the competent administrative department has difficulties in interpreting or other relevant departments have different opinions on the interpretation made by it and request the State Council to interpret, the Legislative Affair Office of the State Council should undertake the task to make an interpretation; for those in which crucial problems are involved, the Legislative Affair Office of the State Council shall bring forward its opinions and report to the State Council for approval, and then, upon approval of the State Council, make an interpretation which should be given as a reply to the competent administrative department and sent in duplicate to other relevant departments.

　　The interpretation of statutory documents of the State Council or the General Office of the State Council concerning the fulfillment and implementation of laws and administrative regulations should be undertaken and made by the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council; for those in which crucial problems are involved, the Legislative Affair Office of the State Council shall bring forward its opinions and report to the State Council for approval, and then, upon approval of the State Council, make an interpretation. The interpretation of other documents of the State Council or the General Office of the State Council should be undertaken by the General Office of the State Council in accordance with the existing practices.