Sub-provincial city
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Political divisions of China
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!style="background:#ffdead; font-size:90%; border-bottom:1px solid"|Province level
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|align=center|Provinces
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|align=center|Autonomous regions
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|align=center|Municipalities
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|align=center|Special Administrative Regions
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!style="background:#ffdead; font-size:90%; border-bottom:1px solid; border-top:1px solid"|Prefecture level
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|align=center|Prefectures
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|align=center|Autonomous prefectures
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|align=center|Prefecture-level cities
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|align=center|(incl. Sub-provincial cities)
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|align=center|Leagues
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!style="background:#ffdead; font-size:90%; border-bottom:1px solid; border-top:1px solid"|County level
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|align=center|Districts
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|align=center|Counties
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|align=center|Autonomous counties
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|align=center|County-level cities
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|align=center|(incl. Sub-prefecture-level cities)
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|align=center|Banners
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|align=center|Autonomous banners
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!style="background:#ffdead; font-size:90%; border-bottom:1px solid; border-top:1px solid"|Township level
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|align=center|District public offices
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|align=center|Townships
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|align=center|Ethnic townships
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|align=center|Towns
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|align=center|Subdistricts
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|align=center|Sumu
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|align=center|Ethnic sumu
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A sub-provincial city (副省级城市), or vice-provincial city, in the People's Republic of China, is a city hierarchically lower than a province, but administered independently in regard to economy and law. The mayor of a sub-provincial city is equal in status to a vice-governor of a province. Its name is opposed to that of a municipality, which is also known as "provincial city" (省级市). The original 16 sub-provincial cities were created in on February 25, 1994 by the Central Organization Committee out of prefecture-level cities. They are sometimes the capitals of the provinces they are in.
Presently, there are 15 sub-provincial cities:
Chongqing is formerly a sub-provincial city of Sichuan until 1997, when it was made a municipality.
Harbin and Chengdu are the largest sub-provincial cities; each has a population exceeding that of the municipality of Tianjin.
The National Standing Committee of Sub-provincial Municipal People's Congresses' Chairmen Joint Conference (全国副省级城市人大常委会主任联席会议) are attended by the chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of all sub-provincial cities. It was proposed by Guangzhou Municipal People's Congress in 1985. The conferences:
- 1. February 26 to March 4, 1985, Guangzhou
- ...
- 17. October 30 - November 2, 2001, Guangzhou
- ...
- 19. October 8 - ? , 2003, Wuhan
