One institution with two names

"One institution with two names" (Chinese: 一个机构两块牌子; pinyin: yīgè jīgòu liǎng kuài páizi; lit. 'one agency two signs') is a bureaucratic arrangement in the Chinese government wherein a government agency exists in name only, and its functions are in practice performed by another agency or a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) organization so that in effect one institution has two or more governmental brands to use selectively for political, historical, or bureaucratic reasons. This type of arrangement was historically common until the mid-1980s but has been extensively revived by reforms which began in 2017.^[1][2][3]

Generally, the purpose of retaining the name of the state institution is so that the party institution can use it where it may be legally or aesthetically appropriate. For example, one name can be used domestically, and another can be used when dealing with institutions outside China. The arrangement can be achieved by either "adding a name" (加挂牌子; jiā guà páizi) or "externally retaining a name" (对外保留牌子; duìwài bǎoliú páizi).^[2] The arrangement is sometimes called "one institution, two brands."^[4]

Within Chinese bureaucratic nomenclature, "one institution with two names" is distinct from "co-located offices" (Chinese: 合署办公; pinyin: héshǔ bàngōng). In the latter situation, two institutions or agencies retain their distinct structure and personnel and only share office spaces and physical resources.