State Ethnic Affairs Commission represents the organizational department of State Council in charge of ethnic affairs.

Its main responsibilities include:

1, to carry out guideline and policy of ethnic affairs of Party and State Council.

2, To propose guideline and policy concerning ethnic affairs and development strategy. To formulate laws and regulations concerning ethnic affairs management so as to optimize ethnic law system.

3, To organize research on ethnic theory, policy, and important issues and to develop public promotion and education of ethnic policy and regulation, and supervise its implementation. To organize the research concerning ethnic policy and issues.

4, To supervise, implement and optimize the autonomous system of ethnic region. To supervise the issues of ethnic rights guarantee. To organize the 10 anniversary activity of ethnic autonomous region.

5, To coordinate the principals and measures of ethnic relations. And to promote equality, unity, and mutual cooperation between all ethnics so as to handle important issues in ethnic relations and maintain social stability and national consolidation. To organize and undertake activities concerning national consolidation.

 6, To organize research on ethnic human rights, women and children situation, and interspersed ethnic groups. To coordinate with related departments to forward reports concerning ethnic human rights of China to U.N.

 7, To analyze the economic operation of ethnic regions and support the formulation of ethnic region open-up and economic development plan. To propose special policy of ethnic region economic development. To organize the research related to economic issues of pasture, border area, impoverished region. To handle poverty alleviation in ethnic regions. To organize and coordinate science and technology development, corresponsive support, economic and technological cooperation and ethnic trade,  production of ethnic special necessaries.

8, Under guidelines and policies of the state, to research on special issues of ethnic culture, arts, public health, sports, and news publication, and to correspond to these issues.

9, To manage ethnic language and direct its translation, publication, and collection, filing, and publication of ethnic ancient books.

10, Under the overall guidance of national education department, to research on ethnic education reform and propose suggestions, to help address special problems in ethnic education and to coordinate with education departments to undertake education aid and support to ethnic regions.

11, To direct the ethnic affairs in government system and to strengthen relation with ethnic autonomous regions and also to organize learning, visit, and review of ethnics.

12, To contact ethnic personnel to ensure education and use of ethnic personnel. To be in charge of affairs of ministerial organs, units under direct control of central government.

13, To coordinate in ethnic affairs concerning foreign communication and cooperation, to assist the foreign promotion of ethnics, and to manage issues concerning Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. To handle family visiting, travel, and residence of ethnic compatriots lived outside China.

14, To undertake other issues assigned by State Council.