The main functions of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade were to establish and supervise foreign trade policies to work with the State Planning Commission in setting long-term foreign trade plans and annual quotas for imports and exports to control imports and exports through licenses and quotas to supervise the management of foreign trade corporations and enterprises and to coordinate economic and trade relations with foreign governments and international economic organizations. The ministry also undertook international market research, led institutes of foreign economic relations and trade, and directed the General Administration of Customs.

Data as of July 1987