What's the difference between national, provincial, county and township roads?

According to the National Highway Law of the People's Republic of China, highways are divided into national highways, provincial highways, county roads and township roads according to their positions in the highway network, and highways, first-class highways, second-class highways, third-class highways and fourth-class highways according to their technical levels. Among them, the national highway is planned by the transportation department of the State Council in conjunction with the relevant departments of the State Council in consultation with the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government; Provincial roads shall be planned by the transportation departments of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government in consultation with relevant departments at the same level; County roads are planned by the transportation departments of the people's governments at the county level in consultation with relevant departments at the same level; Township roads shall be planned by the transportation department of the people's government at the county level in conjunction with the people's governments of townships, nationality townships and towns. National, provincial, county and township roads all include expressways, first-class highways, second-class highways, third-class highways and fourth-class highways. The grades of roads are mainly classified according to technology. Therefore, the main difference among national roads, provincial roads, county roads and township roads lies in the different planning subjects.

legal ground

Article 14 of the National Highway Law of the People's Republic of China shall be compiled by the transportation department of the State Council in conjunction with the relevant departments of the State Council and the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government along the national highway and submitted to the State Council for approval. Provincial highway planning shall be compiled by the transportation departments of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government in conjunction with the relevant departments at the same level and soliciting the opinions of the people's governments at the next lower level along the provincial highway, and submitted to the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government for approval, and reported to the transportation departments of the State Council for the record. County road planning shall be compiled by the transportation department of the people's government at the county level in conjunction with the relevant departments at the same level, and shall be submitted to the people's government at the next higher level for approval after being audited by the people's government at the same level. Township road planning shall be prepared by the transportation department of the people's government at the county level with the assistance of the people's governments of townships, nationality townships and towns and submitted to the people's government at the county level for approval. The planning of county roads and township roads approved in accordance with the provisions of the third and fourth paragraphs shall be reported to the transportation department of the people's government at the next higher level with the right of approval for the record. Provincial highway planning should be coordinated with national highway planning. County road planning should be coordinated with provincial road planning. Township road planning should be coordinated with county road planning.