Since the implementation of the construction supervision system in 1988, it has played an important role in accelerating the development of China's engineering construction management in the direction of socialization and specialization, and promoting the improvement of engineering, construction management level and investment efficiency. Construction supervision system and project legal person responsibility system, bidding system, contract management system, etc. together constitute an important management system in the field of engineering construction in China.

Construction project management refers to the construction supervision unit entrusted by the construction unit, according to laws and regulations, engineering construction standards, investigation and design documents and contracts, in the construction phase of the project quality, cost, progress control, contract, information management, coordination of the relationship between the parties involved in the construction of the project, and to perform the legal responsibility of construction safety management service activities.

The construction unit (owner, project legal person) is the entrusted party of the project supervision task, and the engineering supervision unit is the entrusted party of the supervision task. Engineering supervision unit is engaged in professional service activities within the scope of commissioning authorization of the construction unit. Unlike the international general engineering consulting services, engineering supervision is a project construction management system with Chinese characteristics. At present, engineering supervision is not only located in the construction stage, but also the laws and regulations give the responsibility of project quality and production safety management to engineering supervision units. The nature of construction supervision can be summarized as four aspects: service, science, independence and fairness.