According to the statistics released by the State Social Affairs Office, there are a total of 41,772 industry associations in China. They account for 29.36% of all the NGOs in China. This indicates that industry associations play a significant role in China.
Different from the western conception of NGOs, industry associations in China are not completely non-governmental. In fact, one of their major responsibilities is to help maintain clear communication between the government and enterprises.
Other main resposibilities of Chinese industry associations are to offer services which protect their member's legal rights and interests, ensure fair-market competition, hamonize the relationship and promote the coopration among enterprises within an industry, as well as research and provide relevant statistics.
Below are the biggest national industry associations, all of which are under direct administration of the State Economic & Trade Commission of P.R.C. 
The China Federation of Industrial Economics (CFIE)
The China Federation of Industrial Economics (CFIE) is a national social organization, a corporate body ratified by the State Council of PRC. It is composed of national industrial trade associations, provincial and municipal associations of industrial economics, big industrial enterprises, industrial research institutes and designing units as well as personalities from industrial economic circle on a voluntary base.
China Enterprise Confederation(CEC)
China Enterprise Confederation(CEC)/China Enterprise Directors Association(CEDA), as the Chinese representative of employers, is a non-governmental institution. CEC/CEDA's members are mainly enterprises, companies, entrepreneurs, provincial and municipal associations, industry associations and trade associations. In upholding its principle of serving enterprises and entrepreneurs in general,CEC/CEDA is dedicated to promoting enterprise reform and development ,upgrading the level of enterprise management, increasing the competitiveness of domestic and international enterprises, safeguarding the legal rights and interests of employers,building entrepreneurship and encouraging the sustained development of enterprises.
China General Chamber of Commerce
China General Chamber of Commerce is a national social organization under direct administration of the State Economic & Trade commission of P.R.C with the juridical association status. It is united by enterprises in industries of commodity circulation, service and tourism, local commercial chambers, national professional associations, agency groups, and individuals involved in commodity circulation. Its basic functions are to assist the government to implement commercial trade management.
China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing (CFLP)
China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing (CFLP), the first social organization of logistics industry in China, was established in Beijing and approved by the State Council. The main missions of CFLP are to push the development of logistics industry in China, to boost the development of procurement business of the government and enterprises, to assume the tasks commissioned by government.CFLP is playing active role and wildly cooperating with counterparts in many countries.
China Iron & Steel Association (CISA)
China Iron & Steel Association (CISA) is reorganized functions for ten years. Its members consist of China’s enterprises, institutions, societies and individuals in iron and steel circle, which can participate in CISA voluntarily according to the regulations. CISA has now 170 group members and 8 individual members. CISA is made up of 8 administrative bodies and 10 working committees.
China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association (CPCIA)
China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association (CPCIA), a non-commercial social body consisting of voluntary enterprises, institutions, professional associations and local societies of petroleum and chemical industry. It will ally forces of domestic industries and develop international cooperation so to promote technological advancement and make industry progress. Moreover, it will strengthen exchange with government, serve as a bridge between government and enterprises, assist government in industrial management.
China National Textile & Apparel Council (CNTAC)
China National Textile & Apparel Council (CNTAC), is the national Federation of all textile-related industries, and is a non-profit organization formed on volunteer basis. The aim of CNTAC is to provide services in the modernization of China's textile industry.
China Building Materials Industries Association (CBMIA)
China Building Materials Industries Association (CBMIA), governed by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, is a nation-wide confederation that represents companies, organization and individuals in building materials industries. The major tasks of CBMIA include: to provide services to members, to protect members' legalrights and interests, to ensure market fair competition, to develop advanced productive forces, to promote international exchange and cooperation, and to provide assistance to the government for healthy development of the industries.
