China Meteorological Administration

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA; Chinese: 中国气象局) is the national meteorological agency of the People's Republic of China responsible for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, meteorological observation, atmospheric research, and the administration of national meteorological services. Established in 1949 as the Central Military Commission Meteorological Bureau, the organization evolved into the China Meteorological Administration and now operates as a ministerial-level public institution under the State Council of the People's Republic of China. Headquartered in Beijing, the CMA oversees China's nationwide meteorological network and provides weather, climate, hydrological, and environmental information to government agencies, industries, researchers, and the public.

The CMA is responsible for operating national weather observation systems, forecasting weather and climate conditions, issuing warnings for severe weather events, conducting atmospheric research, and supporting disaster risk reduction. Its principal functions include monitoring tropical cyclones, floods, droughts, heatwaves, cold waves, sandstorms, and other hazardous weather phenomena; maintaining meteorological satellites, weather radar networks, and upper-air observation systems; producing numerical weather prediction models; and providing specialized meteorological services for agriculture, aviation, marine activities, transportation, energy, water resources, and public health. The Administration also manages China's national meteorological data infrastructure and supports weather modification programmes, including cloud seeding and hail suppression.

In addition to operational forecasting, the CMA undertakes scientific research in meteorology, climatology, atmospheric physics, climate change, hydrology, environmental meteorology, and Earth system science. It oversees several research institutes and specialized centers, including the National Climate Centre (NCC), which serves as China's principal institution for climate monitoring, seasonal forecasting, and climate change research. The Administration contributes to national policy relating to climate adaptation, renewable energy forecasting, disaster resilience, carbon neutrality, ecological protection, and sustainable development while advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, remote sensing, and numerical modelling in meteorological applications.

The China Meteorological Administration works closely with institutions including the National Climate Centre, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Water Resources, and the Ministry of Emergency Management. Internationally, it cooperates with organizations such as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the World Meteorological Congress, and meteorological agencies worldwide. Through weather forecasting, climate services, atmospheric research, and international cooperation, the China Meteorological Administration plays a central role in supporting public safety, economic development, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience in China.