In politics, Sui practiced “the System of Three Cabinets and Six Departments” in the central government. The three cabinets were: Zhongshu Sheng - the legislative bureau which was the policy making organ of the state in charge of drafting out orders and deciding organizations; Menxia Sheng - the Chancellery of the state which was the deliberation organ of the state; and Shangshu Sheng - the executive bureau which was the administrative organ of the state. The six departments were with Libu (personnel), Hubu (revenue), Libu (rites), Bingbu (war), Xingbu (justice) and Gongbu (works), which were all set up under the Shangshu Sheng to deal with daily affairs. This system was followed by almost every later dynasty since then.
In the local government, Sui simplified the three-grade system - state, prefecture and counties into a two-grade system, carrying out “the System of States and Counties”. By doing so, Sui redressed the overfull organization abuses, restrained political corruption, and saved government expenditures. Sui also ordered that local government officials must be assessed every year, that their term of service at the same place couldn't exceed three years, and that the officials mustn't be from other places. All these measures helped to strengthen the central government's control over the local places, and stopped the local depots from monopolizing the local powers.
At the same time, in selecting government officials, Sui prescribed that every state had to select three excellent candidates whatever family background they were born to, and send them to the central government every year. Those eligible people would be appointed as officials after the government examinations. It was the beginning of “the Imperial Examination System”.
Additionally, Emperor Wen ordered Gao Wan to make new state codes based on the old state rules of Northern Qi and Northern Zhou. In 583, he let Su Wei adjust the codes again, and then Kaihuang Codex was produced. The book was divided into 12 volumes, in which there were 500 punishments subdivided into five kinds and 20 grades and some abominations like scourging and splitting were abolished. Kaihuang Codex laid the groundwork for the codes of the later dynasties.

In economy, Sui ordered the rectification of the household register, checked the population, carried out a land equalization system, and adjusted the taxes and conscript labor. Meanwhile, he ordered to coin standard “Wuzhu” coins, and standardized bronze measuring bucket and iron rulers, which created good conditions for the increase of the economy.
In order to restore the agriculture production and strengthen the state water transport, Emperor Wen constructed “Guangtong Canal” to bring the water in the Weihe River into Tongguan Pass in 584. In 605, Emperor Yang ordered the building of a grand canal running north and south. The Grand Canal centered in Luoyang was divided into four sections – Yongji Canal, Tongji Canal, Hangou Canal and Jiang Nan He, with a total length of 4000-5000 li (1243 to 1553 miles). It was the artery of communications between south and north, leading to Zhuojun (today’s Beijing) in the northeast and getting to Yuhang (Hangzhou today) in the southeast.

IIn the military, Sui reformed the Fubing System. Before, Fubing were the professional soldiers at that time who were controlled by the generals; they weren't listed in the household booklets of the local states, and their family members also lived in the army with them. After the reform, those army people and their family members were both recorded in the name list of the army and household booklets of their local states. They could get their due farm land and engage in farming at peace time. They just took turns to guard the capital, and carried out their task on the stipulations.

In foreign relations, the Sui Dynasty often went on punitive expeditions against the Turkic people in the north, and finally forced them to surrender. The Tuguhun group who lived in the area between Gansu and Qinghai Provinces today often invaded the Sui Dynasty at the beginning. In 596, Emperor Wen let Princess Guanghua marry Tuguhun Khan to improve the relations between them. In 608, Emperor Yang defeated Tuguhun, and set four prefectures there. Then, Emperor Yani sent Zhu Kuan and He Man to attack Liuqiu (Taiwan Province today) twice.
Sui Dynasty, like a flash in the pan was an important turning point in Chinese history. It reunified the country and implemented a series of reforms. Sui Dynasty made full preparation for Tang Dynasty’s prosperity and peak time.