President of the People 's Republic of China - wikipedia President of the People 's Republic of China For the president of the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, see President of the Republic of China. For the de facto leader of China, see Paramount leader. `` President of the PRC '' redirects here. For the leader of Guernsey, see President of the Policy and Resources Committee. President of the People 's Republic of China 中华 人民 共和国 主席 Emblem of the People 's Republic of China Incumbent Xi Jinping since 14 March 2013 Style Mr. President ( 主席 ) ( formal ) His Excellency ( 阁下 ) ( in international correspondence ) Status Head of state Residence Zhongnanhai Seat West Building, Zhongnanhai, Beijing ( de jure ) Nominator the Presidium of the National People 's Congress Appointer the National People 's Congress Term length No Term Limit Constituting instrument Constitution of the People 's Republic of China Inaugural holder Mao Zedong Li Xiannian Formation 27 September 1954 18 June 1983 Abolished January 1975 -- December 1982 Deputy Vice President Website Presidency President of the People 's Republic of China Simplified Chinese 中华 人民 共和国 主席 Traditional Chinese 中華 人民 共和國 主席 Literal meaning Chinese People Republic Chairperson show Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Zhǔxí Alternative Chinese name Simplified Chinese 国家 主席 Traditional Chinese 國家 主席 Literal meaning State Chairperson show Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Guójiā Zhǔxí This article is part of a series on the Politics of the People 's Republic of China Leadership Leadership generations Succession of power Hu -- Wen Administration ( 2002 -- 2012 ) Xi -- Li Administration ( 2012 -- 2017 ) Xi Core Administration ( zh ) ( since 2017 ) 4th Leadership Core : Xi Jinping 19th Central Politburo 13th State Council Current State leaders Current provincial leaders National leaders Orders of precedence Paramount leader : Xi Jinping Communist Party leader : Xi Jinping Head of state : Xi Jinping Head of government : Li Keqiang Congress Chairman : Li Zhanshu Conference Chairman : Wang Yang Commander - in - chief : Xi Jinping Politburo Standing Committee Related systems Democratic centralism Collective leadership Organization Department Elections Civil service Communist Party History Principal leaders Constitution Organization National Party Congress ( 19th ) Central Committee ( 19th ) General Secretary ( list ) Xi Jinping Central Politburo ( 19th ) Standing Committee ( list ) Central Secretariat Top - ranked secretary : Wang Huning Central Military Commission Chairman : Xi Jinping Vice-Chairmen : Xu Qiliang, Zhang Youxia National Security Commission Chairman : Xi Jinping Vice-Chairmen : Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu Office Chief : Ding Xuexiang Comprehensively Deepening Reforms Commission Director : Xi Jinping Deputy Directors : Li Keqiang, Wang Huning, Han Zheng Secretary - General : Wang Huning Financial & Economic Affairs Commission Director : Xi Jinping Deputy Director : Li Keqiang Office Chief : Liu He General Office Director : Ding Xuexiang General Secretary 's Office ( zh ) Chief : Ding Xuexiang Central Security Bureau Central Guard Unit Office of the Central Secrecy Commission Organization Department Head : Chen Xi Central Commission for Discipline Inspection ( 19th ) Secretary : Zhao Leji Provincial committee Standing committee Secretary Deputy secretaries United Front Political Consultative Conference National Committee ( zh ) Chairman : Wang Yang Vice-Chairpersons Top - ranked : Zhang Qingli Secretary - General : Xia Baolong Political parties : CPC ( ruling ) United Front Work Department Head : You Quan RCCK CDL CDNCA CAPD CPWDP CZGP JS TDSGL Federation of Industry and Commerce People 's organizations Ideology Marxism -- Leninism Maoism ( `` Mao Zedong Thought '' ) Socialism with Chinese characteristics Deng Xiaoping Theory Primary stage of socialism Four Cardinal Principles Three Represents Scientific Outlook on Development Harmonious Socialist Society Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Chinese Dream Four Comprehensives Constitution Law Constitution Previous constitutions 1954 1978 `` People 's democratic dictatorship '' ( Article 1 ) Democratic centralism ( Article 3 ) Constitutional oath of office ( Article 27 ) Protection of human rights ( Article 33 ) Freedom of religion ( Article 36 ) Chinese legal system Civil law tradition Socialist law tradition Laws Legislation Law List of statutes General Principles of the Civil Law Marriage Law Labour law Labour Law Labour Contract Law Property law Property Law Intellectual property law Patent law Administrative law Administrative Procedure Law Criminal law Capital punishment Capital offences Death sentence with reprieve Legislative National People 's Congress ( 13th ) Members Plenary sessions Voting results Presidium Standing Committee Chairman : Li Zhanshu Vice-Chairpersons Top - ranked : Wang Chen Secretary - General : Yang Zhenwu ( zh ) Special committees Ethnic Affairs Constitution and Law Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Financial and Economic Affairs Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Foreign Affairs Overseas Chinese Affairs Environment Protection and Resources Conservation Agriculture and Rural Affairs Social Development Affairs Legislation Law Elections Presidency President ( list ) : Xi Jinping Presidential spouse : Peng Liyuan Presidential Office ( zh ) Chief : Ding Xuexiang Vice-President : Wang Qishan Executive State Council ( Central People 's Government ) Li Keqiang Cabinet II Premier ( list ) : Li Keqiang Vice-Premiers ( list ) Han Zheng Sun Chunlan Hu Chunhua Liu He State Councilors Wei Fenghe Wang Yong Wang Yi Xiao Jie Zhao Kezhi Secretary - General : Xiao Jie Cabinet - level departments National Development & Reform Commission Central bank National Audit Office General Office Secretary - General Deputy Secretary - Generals State - owned Assets Supervision & Administration Commission Most Central Enterprises Military Central Military Commission ( CMC ) Chairman ( supreme commander ) : Xi Jinping Vice-Chairmen : Xu Qiliang Zhang Youxia Members : Wei Fenghe Li Zuocheng Miao Hua Zhang Shengmin Departments : General Office Joint Staff Chief : Li Zuocheng Political Work Director : Miao Hua Logistic Support Equipment Development Training & Administration National Defense Mobilization Discipline Inspection Secretary : Zhang Shengmin National armed forces : People 's Liberation Army Theater commands People 's Armed Police China Coast Guard Militia State Council National Defense Mobilization Commission Chairman : Li Keqiang Ministry of National Defense Minister : Wei Fenghe Ministry of Veterans Affairs State Administration for Sci., Tech. & Industry for National Defense Military history Armed conflicts Military modernization Military reform since 2015 CMC Leading Group for Military Reform Leader : Xi Jinping Supervision Corruption in China Anti-corruption campaign since 2012 CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection ( 19th ) Secretary : Zhao Leji Deputy Secretaries Yang Xiaodu Zhang Shengmin Liu Jinguo Yang Xiaochao Li Shulei Xu Lingyi Xiao Pei Chen Xiaojiang Secretary - General : Yang Xiaochao National Supervisory Commission Director : Yang Xiaodu Central Leading Group for Inspection Work Leader : Zhao Leji Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Central Military Commission Secretary : Zhang Shengmin Independent Commission Against Corruption ( Hong Kong ) Commission Against Corruption ( Macau ) Judiciary Law enforcement CPC Central Politics and Law Commission Secretary : Guo Shengkun Supreme People 's Court President : Zhou Qiang People 's Courts Judicial Police ( zh ) Supreme People 's Procuratorate Procurator - General : Zhang Jun People 's Procuratorates Judicial Police ( zh ) State Council Ministry of Public Security Minister : Zhao Kezhi ( State Councilor ) Public Security Organs People 's Police ( zh ) State Immigration Administration ( zh ) Local public security bureaus Ministry of State Security Minister : Chen Wenqing State Security Organs People 's Police ( zh ) Ministry of Justice Minister : Fu Zhenghua Judicial Administrative Organs People 's Police ( zh ) Bureau of Prison Administration ( zh ) Urban Management ( chengguan ) Judiciary of Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Department of Justice Prosecutions Division Law enforcement in Hong Kong Security Bureau Regular Disciplined Services Hong Kong Police Force Judiciary of Macau Court of Final Appeal Public Prosecutions Office Secretariat for Security Macau Security Force Unitary Police Services ( zh ) Public Security Police Judiciary Police ( zh ) Publicity Central Leading Group for Propaganda and Ideology Leader : Wang Huning Central Guidance Commission on Building Spiritual Civilization Director : Wang Huning Deputy Director : Huang Kunming Central Publicity ( Propaganda ) Department Head : Huang Kunming General Administration of Press and Publication National Film Bureau ( zh ) State Council Information Office China Daily Ministry of Culture and Tourism State Administration of Radio and Television China Media Group China Central Television China Global Television Network China National Radio China Radio International Xinhua News Agency Reference News China News Service People 's Daily Global Times China Today Censorship in China Radio jamming Media of China Internal media Publishing industry in China Internet in China Internet censorship Great Firewall Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission Director : Xi Jinping Deputy director : Li Keqiang Cyberspace Administration of China Director : Xu Lin Hong Kong Macau Central Coordination Group for Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Leader : Han Zheng HK & Macau Affairs Office Director : Zhang Xiaoming Liaison Office in Hong Kong Liaison Office in Macau One country, two systems Special administrative regions Hong Kong Basic Law Chief Executive : Lam Cheng Yuet - ngor Hong Kong SAR Government Politics of Hong Kong Independence movement Mainland & HK CEPA Macau Basic Law Chief Executive : Chui Sai On Macau SAR Government Politics of Macau Mainland & Macau CEPA Cross-Strait relations Cross-Strait relations Chinese Civil War One - China policy Taiwan independence movement Anti-Secession Law Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement Chinese unification Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs Leader : Xi Jinping Deputy Leader : Wang Yang Taiwan Affairs Office Director : Zhang Zhijun Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits Foreign relations Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director : Xi Jinping Deputy Director : Li Keqiang Secretary - General : Yang Jiechi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister : Wang Yi ( State Councilor ) Spokespersons Diplomatic missions Diplomatic missions in China Foreign aid to China Chinese foreign aid International Development Cooperation Agency ( zh ) Ministry of Commerce Ministry of National Defense International Military Cooperation Office NPC Foreign Affairs Committee CPC International Liaison Department State Council Information Office State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs Overseas Chinese Affairs Office Chinese nationality law Chinese passports ( Hong Kong ; Macau ) Visa requirements for Chinese citizens ( Hong Kong, Macau ) Visa policy of China ( Hong Kong ; Macau ) State Immigration Administration ( zh ) Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence Panda diplomacy Beijing Consensus Shanghai Cooperation Organisation One Belt One Road Initiative Silk Road Fund Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank BRICS New Development Bank China and the United Nations China and the World Trade Organization China -- United States relations China -- Russia relations China -- European Union relations China -- Africa relations Related topics Administrative divisions Hukou system Family planning Ethnic minorities Other countries Atlas The President of the People 's Republic of China is the head of state of the People 's Republic of China. Under the country 's constitution, the presidency is a largely ceremonial office with limited powers. However, since 1993, as a matter of convention, the presidency has been held simultaneously by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, the top leader in the one party system. The office is officially regarded as an institution of the state rather than an administrative post ; theoretically, the President serves at the pleasure of the National People 's Congress, the legislature, and is not legally vested to take executive action on its own prerogative. The current President is Xi Jinping, who took office in March 2013. Since 1993, apart from brief periods of transition, the top leader of China simultaneously serves as the President, the leader of the party, and the commander - in - chief of the military ( as Chairman of the Central Military Commission ). This individual then carries out different duties under separate titles. For example, the leader meets foreign dignitaries and receives ambassadors in his capacity as President, issues military directives as Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and upholds party rule through the office of General Secretary. The office was first established in the Constitution of the People 's Republic of China in 1954 and successively held by Mao Zedong and Liu Shaoqi. Liu fell into political disgrace during the Cultural Revolution, after which the office became vacant. The office was abolished under the Constitution of 1975, then reinstated in the Constitution of 1982, but with reduced powers. The official English - language translation of the title was `` Chairman '' ; after 1982, this translation was changed to `` President '', although the Chinese title remains unchanged. Therefore the title `` President '' in this case does not mean the same as in the United States or other Presidential systems, but rather as an approximation in terms of its power compared with parliamentary systems. Between 1982 and 2018, the constitution stipulated that the president could not serve more than two consecutive terms. During the Mao era and also since 2018, there were no term limits attached to this office. Contents 1 Qualifications and election 2 Powers and duties 3 Political ranking 4 History 4.1 Establishment in 1954 4.2 History up to 1974 4.3 Abolition in 1975 4.4 Restoration in 1982 5 List of heads of state 5.1 Timeline 5.2 Chairmen / presidents 5.3 Other heads of state 5.4 Statistics 5.5 Living former presidents 6 President 's spouse 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 External links Qualifications and election According to the current Constitution of the People 's Republic of China, the President must be a Chinese citizen with full electoral rights who has reached the age of 45. The President is elected by the National People 's Congress ( NPC ), China 's highest state body, which also has the power to remove the President and other state officers from office. Elections and removals are decided by a simple majority vote. According to the Organic Law of the NPC, the President is nominated by the NPC Presidium, the Congress 's executive organ. In practice, however, the ruling Communist Party of China reserves the post of President for its current General Secretary. Like all officers of state elected by the NPC, the President is elected from a one name ballot. In the event that the office of President falls vacant, the Vice-President succeeds to the office. In the event that both offices fall vacant, the Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee temporarily acts as President until the NPC can elect a new President and Vice-President. Prior to March 2018, the President and Vice President were limited to two consecutive terms. However these limits were removed at the 2018 National People 's Congress. Powers and duties Under the current constitution, instated in 1982 with minor revisions in later years, the President has the power to promulgate laws, select and dismiss the Premier ( prime minister ) as well as the ministers of the State Council, grant presidential pardons, declares a state of emergency, issue mass mobilization orders, and issue state honours. In addition, the President names and dismisses ambassadors to foreign countries, signs and annuls treaties with foreign entities. According to the Constitution, all of these powers require the approval or confirmation of the National People 's Congress. The President also conducts state visits on behalf of the People 's Republic. Under the constitution the `` state visit '' clause is the only presidential power that does not stipulate any form of oversight from the National People 's Congress. As the vast majority of presidential powers are dependent on the ratification of the NPC, the President is, in essence, a symbolic post without any direct say in the governance of state. It is therefore conceived to mainly function as an symbolic institution of the state rather than an office with true executive powers. In theory, the President has discretion over the selection of the Premier, though in practice the Premier has historically been selected through the top - level discussions of the Communist Party of China. Upon the nomination of the Premier, the NPC convenes to confirm the nomination, but since only one name is on the ballot, it can only approve or reject. To date, it has never rejected a personnel nomination. Since the Premier, the head of government in China, is the most important political appointment in the Chinese government, the nomination power, under some circumstances, may give the President real political influence. Political ranking Main article : Orders of precedence in the People 's Republic of China For President Liu Shaoqi, he was also the first Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of China, ranked second in the Communist Party of China, behind Chairman Mao Zedong. For President Li Xiannian, he was also the 5th ranked member of the Politburo Standing Committee, after CPC General Secretary and Premier. For President Yang Shangkun, he was not a member of Politburo Standing Committee, but he ranked third after General Secretary Zhao Ziyang and Deng Xiaoping. Since Jiang Zemin, the President is also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, ranking first in Party and State. History Establishment in 1954 The office of State Chairman ( the original English translation, as noted above ) was first established under China 's 1954 Constitution. The ceremonial powers of the office were largely identical to those in the current Constitution. The powers of the 1954 office differed from those of the current office in two areas : military and governmental. The State Chairman 's military powers were defined in the 1954 Constitution as follows : `` The Chairman of the People 's Republic of China commands the armed forces of the state, and is Chairman of the National Defence Council ( Chinese : 国防 委员会 ). '' The National Defence Council was unique to the 1954 Constitution, and was mandated as the civil command for the People 's Liberation Army. It was abolished under the 1975 Constitution. The State Chairman 's governmental powers were defined in the 1954 Constitution as follows : `` The Chairman of the People 's Republic of China, whenever necessary, convenes a Supreme State Conference ( Chinese : 最高 国务 会议 ) and acts as its chairman. '' The members of the Supreme State Conference included the main officers of state, and its views were to be presented to the main organs of state and government, including the National People 's Congress and the State and National Defense Councils. The Supreme State Conference was also unique to the 1954 Constitution. It was abolished under the 1975 Constitution and later Constitutions have not included a similar body. History up to 1974 Mao Zedong was the first to hold the office of State Chairman. He was elected at the founding session of the National People 's Congress in 1955. At the 2nd NPC in 1959, Mao was succeeded by Liu Shaoqi, first Vice Chairman of the Communist Party. Liu was reelected as State Chairman at the 3rd NPC in Jan 1965. However, in 1966, Mao launched the Cultural Revolution and by August 1966 Mao and his supporters succeeding in removing Liu from his position as party Vice Chairman. A few months later Liu was apparently placed under house arrest, and after a prolonged power struggle the 12th Plenum of the 8th Communist Party Congress stripped Liu Shaoqi of all his party and non-party positions on October 31, 1968, including the post of State Chairman. This was in violation of the Constitution, which required a vote by the NPC to remove the State Chairman. After Liu 's removal in 1968, the office of State Chairman was vacant. From 1972 to 1975, however, state media referred to Vice State Chairman Dong Biwu as `` acting State Chairman. '' Abolition in 1975 When the 4th NPC was convened in 1975, its main act was to adopt a new Constitution which eliminated the office of State Chairman and emphasized instead the leadership of the Communist Party over the state, including an article that made the Party Chairman Supreme Commander of the PLA in concurrence as Chairman of the Party CMC. The 5th NPC was convened two years early, in 1978, and a third Constitution was adopted, which also lacked the office of State Chairman. The office was finally reinstated in the fourth Constitution, adopted by the 5th Session of the 5th NPC in 1982. The title of the office ( guojia zhuxi ) was unchanged in the Chinese text, but a new English translation of `` President of the People 's Republic of China '' was adopted. Restoration in 1982 In the 1982 Constitution, the President was conceived of as a figurehead of state with actual state power resting in the hands of the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Premier of the State Council and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and all four posts were designed to be held by separate people. The President therefore held minor responsibilities such as greeting foreign dignitaries and signing the appointment of embassy staff, and did not intervene in the affairs of the State Council or the Party. In the original 1982 Constitution plan, the Party would develop policy, the state would execute it, and the power would be divided to prevent a cult of personality from forming as it did with the case of Mao Zedong. Thus in 1982, China perceivably had four main leaders : Hu Yaobang, the Party General Secretary ; Zhao Ziyang, the Premier ; Li Xiannian, the President ; and Deng Xiaoping, the `` Paramount Leader '', holding title of the Chairman of the Central Military Commission and was overall commander - in - chief of the armed forces. The current political structure of Vietnam is similar to the structure China followed in the 1980s. In the 1990s, the experiment of separating party and state posts, which led to conflict during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, was terminated. In 1993, the post of President was taken by Jiang Zemin, who as General Secretary of the Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, became the undisputed top leader of the party and the state. When Jiang Zemin stepped down in 2003, the offices of General Secretary and President were once again both given to one man, then Vice-President Hu Jintao, the first Vice President to assume the office. In turn, Hu vacated both offices for Xi Jinping in 2012 and 2013. Under Xi, the term limits for the President were removed. This was widely interpreted as part of an expansion of Xi 's power, effectively extending his tenure as China 's paramount leader indefinitely. Xi explained the decision in terms of needing to align two more powerful posts -- General Secretary of the Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission which are no term limits. List of heads of state For a more comprehensive list, see List of Presidents of the People 's Republic of China. Timeline ↓ P. of C.Gov ↓ President of China ↓ Acting Presidents ↓ ↓ Honorary President ↓ Restored Mao Zedong Liu Shaoqi vacant Dong Biwu Position abolished Soong Ching - ling N / A Li Xiannian Yang Shangkun Jiang Zemin Hu Jintao Xi Jinping │ 1949.83 │ 1959.83 │ 1969.83 │ 1979.83 │ 1989.83 │ 1999.83 │ 2009.83 Main article : List of Presidents of the People 's Republic of China Chairmen / presidents Mao Zedong Chairman ( 27 September 1954 - 27 April 1959 ) Liu Shaoqi Chairman ( 27 April 1959 -- 31 October 1968 ) Dong Biwu Acting Chairman ( 24 February 1972 - 17 January 1975 ) Song Qingling Honorary President ( 16 -- 28 May 1981 ) Li Xiannian President ( 18 June 1983 - 8 April 1988 ) Yang Shangkun President ( 8 April 1988 -- 27 March 1993 ) Jiang Zemin President ( 27 March 1993 -- 15 March 2003 ) Hu Jintao President ( 15 March 2003 -- 14 March 2013 ) Xi Jinping President ( 14 March 2013 -- present ) Other heads of state Mao Zedong Chairman Chairman of the Central People 's Government ( 1949 - 1954 ) Zhu De Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People 's Congress ( 1975 -- 1976 ) Song Qingling Acting Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People 's Congress ( 1976 -- 1978 ) Ye Jianying Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People 's Congress ( 1978 -- 1983 ) Statistics # President Date of birth Age at ascension ( first term ) Time in office ( total ) Age at retirement ( last term ) Date of death Longevity Zedong, Mao Mao Zedong 18931226 December 26, 1893 ( December 26, 1893 ) 60 275 60 years, 275 days 04 212 4 years, 212 days 64 122 64 years, 122 days 19760909 September 9, 1976 7004302070000000000 ♠ 30,207 82 years, 258 days Shaoqi, Liu Liu Shaoqi 18981124 November 24, 1898 ( November 24, 1898 ) 60 154 60 years, 154 days 09 187 9 years, 187 days 69 342 69 years, 342 days 19691112 November 12, 1969 7004259200000000000 ♠ 25,920 70 years, 353 days Presidency vacant acting Biwu, Dong Dong Biwu 18860305 March 5, 1886 ( March 5, 1886 ) 85 356 85 years, 356 days 02 327 2 years, 327 days 88 318 88 years, 318 days 19750402 April 2, 1975 7004325340000000000 ♠ 32,534 89 years, 28 days acting Ching - ling, Soong Soong Ching - ling 18930127 January 27, 1893 ( January 27, 1893 ) 83 161 83 years, 161 days 01 242 1 years, 242 days 85 037 85 years, 37 days 19810529 May 29, 1981 7004322630000000000 ♠ 32,263 88 years, 122 days Presidency abolished Xiannian, Li Li Xiannian 19090623 June 23, 1909 ( June 23, 1909 ) 73 360 73 years, 360 days 04 295 4 years, 295 days 78 290 78 years, 290 days 19920621 June 21, 1992 7004303140000000000 ♠ 30,314 82 years, 364 days Shangkun, Yang Yang Shangkun 19070803 August 3, 1907 ( August 3, 1907 ) 80 250 80 years, 250 days 04 352 4 years, 352 days 85 236 85 years, 236 days 19980914 September 14, 1998 7004332800000000000 ♠ 33,280 91 years, 42 days 5 Zemin, Jiang Jiang Zemin 19260817 August 17, 1926 ( August 17, 1926 ) 66 222 66 years, 222 days 09 353 9 years, 353 days 76 210 76 years, 210 days Living 7004336150000000000 ♠ 33,615 7004336150000000000 ♠ 92 years, 12 days ( Living ) 6 Jintao, Hu Hu Jintao 19421221 December 21, 1942 ( December 21, 1942 ) 60 084 60 years, 84 days 09 364 10 years, 0 days 70 084 70 years, 84 days Living 7004276450000000000 ♠ 27,645 7004276450000000000 ♠ 75 years, 251 days ( Living ) 7 Jinping, Xi Xi Jinping 19530615 June 15, 1953 ( June 15, 1953 ) 59 years, 272 days 7003199400000000000 ♠ 5 years, 168 days ( Ongoing ) Incumbent Living 7004238160000000000 ♠ 23,816 7004238160000000000 ♠ 65 years, 75 days ( Living ) Living former presidents There are two living former presidents : Jiang Zemin ( 1993 -- 2003 ) ( 1926 - 08 - 17 ) August 17, 1926 ( age 92 ) Hu Jintao ( 2003 -- 2013 ) ( 1942 - 12 - 21 ) December 21, 1942 ( age 75 ) President 's spouse Main article : Spouse of the President of the People 's Republic of China Since the first president, seven had a spouse during term of office. No Spouse President Tenure Jiang Qing Mao Zedong 1 October 1949 -- 27 April 1959 Wang Guangmei Liu Shaoqi 27 April 1959 -- 31 October 1968 Lin Jiamei Li Xiannian 18 June 1983 -- 8 April 1988 Li Bozhao Yang Shangkun 8 April 1988 -- 27 March 1993 5 Wang Yeping Jiang Zemin 27 March 1993 -- 15 March 2003 6 Liu Yongqing Hu Jintao 15 March 2003 -- 14 March 2013 7 Peng Liyuan Xi Jinping 14 March 2013 -- Incumbent See also China portal Politics portal Air transports of heads of state and government List of Chinese leaders List of leaders of the People 's Republic of China Paramount leader Political position ranking of the People 's Republic of China Premier of the People 's Republic of China President for Life Vice President of the People 's Republic of China Notes Jump up ^ `` Xi 's here to stay : China leader tipped to outstay term ''. Daily Mail. 2016 - 08 - 09. `` A lot of analysts now see it as a given '' that Xi will seek to stay party general secretary, the country 's most powerful post, said Christopher K. Johnson, a former CIA analyst and now China specialist at the Washington - based Center for Strategic and International Studies. Jump up ^ It is listed as such in the current Constitution ; it is thus equivalent to organs such as the State Council, rather than to offices such as that of the Premier. Jump up ^ `` Does Chinese leader Xi Jinping plan to hang on to power for more than 10 years ? ''. 6 October 2017. If Xi relinquished the presidency in 2023 but remained party chief and chairman of the Central Military commission ( CMC ), his successor as president would be nothing more than a symbolic figure... `` Once the president is neither the party 's general secretary nor the CMC chairman, he or she will be hollowed out, just like a body without a soul. '' Jump up ^ In Chinese the President of the PRC is termed zhǔxí while the Presidents of other countries are termed zǒngtǒng. Furthermore zhǔxí continues to have the meaning of `` chairman '' in a generic context. References Jump up ^ Chris Buckley and Adam Wu ( 10 March 2018 ). `` Ending Term Limits for China 's Xi Is a Big Deal. Here 's Why. - Is the presidency powerful in China ? ''. New York Times. In China, the political job that matters most is the General Secretary of the Communist Party. The party controls the military and domestic security forces, and sets the policies that the government carries out. China 's presidency lacks the authority of the American and French presidencies. CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter ( link ) ^ Jump up to : Krishna Kanta Handique State Open University, EXECUTIVE : THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHINESE REPUBLIC. Jump up ^ `` A simple guide to the Chinese government ''. South China Morning Post. Xi Jinping is the most powerful figure in the Chinese political system. He is the President of China, but his real influence comes from his position as the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. Jump up ^ `` China sets stage for Xi to stay in office indefinitely ''. Reuters. 2018 - 02 - 25. However, the role of party chief is more senior than that of president. At some point, Xi could be given a party position that also enables him to stay on as long as he likes. Jump up ^ `` CPC proposes change on Chinese president 's term in Constitution - Xinhua - English.news.cn ''. www.xinhuanet.com. Jump up ^ Constitution of the People 's Republic of China, Articles 62, 63. Jump up ^ `` Organic Law of the National People 's Congress of the PRC ''. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 03., Article 13. Jump up ^ Constitution of the People 's Republic of China, Article 84. ^ Jump up to : `` China approves ' president for life ' change ''. BBC News. 11 March 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2018. Jump up ^ Constitution of the People 's Republic of China, Article 62, Section 5. The NPC does no itself have the power to nominate the Premier. Jump up ^ Yew, Chiew Ping ; Gang Chen ( 2010 - 03 - 13 ). China 's National People 's Congress 2010 : Addressing Challenges With No Breakthrough in Legislative Assertiveness ( PDF ). Background Brief. Singapore : East Asian Institute. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 03. Jump up ^ Weng, Byron ( September 1982 ). `` Some Key Aspects of the 1982 Draft Constitution of the People 's Republic of China ''. The China Quarterly ( 91 ) : 492 -- 506. JSTOR 653370. Jump up ^ Mathews, Jay ( 4 March 1980 ). `` 5 Children of Liu Shaoqi Detail Years in Disfavor ''. Washington Post. Retrieved 12 March 2018. Jump up ^ `` Li Xiannian : China 's new president ''. UPI. 18 June 1983. Retrieved 12 March 2018. Jump up ^ Del Vecchio, Mark S. `` Yang Shangkun elected Chinese president ''. UPI. Retrieved 12 March 2018. Jump up ^ `` Jiang Zemin to have lower rank in Communist party ''. The Telegraph. 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2018. Jump up ^ Constitution of the People 's Republic of China, 1954, Articles 40 -- 42. Jump up ^ Constitution of the People 's Republic of China, Article 43. Jump up ^ Constitution of the People 's Republic of China, Article 44. Jump up ^ Cohen, Jerome Alan ( 1978 - 12 - 01 ). `` China 's Changing Constitution ''. The China Quarterly ( 76 ) : 794 -- 841. ISSN 0305 - 7410. JSTOR 652647. Jump up ^ Mitchell, Tom. `` China 's Xi Jinping says he is opposed to life - long rule ''. Financial Times. Retrieved 17 April 2018. President insists term extension is necessary to align government and party posts External links The President 's official website ( in English ) Heads of state of the People 's Republic of China Common Program ( 1949 -- 1954 ) CPG Chairman Mao Zedong 1954 Constitution ( 1954 -- 1975 ) Chairman Mao Zedong Liu Shaoqi Dong Biwu ( acting ) 1975 & 1978 Constitutions ( 1975 -- 1982 ) NPCSC Chairman Zhu De Song Qingling ( acting ) Ye Jianying 1982 Constitution ( 1982 -- present ) President Li Xiannian Yang Shangkun Jiang Zemin Hu Jintao Xi Jinping Xia → Shang → Zhou → Qin → Han → 3 Kingdoms → Jìn / 16 Kingdoms → S. Dynasties / N. Dynasties → Sui → Tang → 5 Dynasties & 10 Kingdoms → Liao / Song / W. Xia / Jīn → Yuan → Ming → Qing → ROC / PRC Central state organs of the People 's Republic of China National People 's Congress NPC Standing Committee President State Council Central Military Commission National Supervisory Commission Supreme People 's Court Supreme People 's Procuratorate Politics of China Constitution Laws Parties Parties Communist Party Central Committee General Secretary Politburo Politburo Standing Committee Central Secretariat Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Provincial party standing committee State organs National People 's Congress Standing Committee Chairman President Vice-President State Council Premier Vice-Premiers State Councilors Ministries Central Military Commission Chairman People 's Liberation Army People 's Armed Police People 's Political Consultative Conference National Committee Chairman Politics of province - level divisions ( current leaders ) Municipalities Beijing Chongqing Shanghai Tianjin Provinces Anhui Fujian Gansu Guangdong Guizhou Hainan Hebei Heilongjiang Henan Hubei Hunan Jiangsu Jiangxi Jilin Liaoning Qinghai Shaanxi Shandong Shanxi Sichuan Yunnan Zhejiang Autonomous regions Guangxi Inner Mongolia Ningxia Xinjiang Tibet ( leaders ) SARs Hong Kong Macau Claimed province Taiwan See also Elections Heads of state of the G20 Macri Elizabeth II ( Governor - General : Cosgrove ) Temer Elizabeth II ( Governor General : Payette ) Xi Tusk Macron Steinmeier Kovind Jokowi Mattarella Akihito Peña Nieto Putin Salman Ramaphosa Moon Erdoğan Elizabeth II Trump Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=President_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China&oldid=855643175 '' Categories : Presidents of the People 's Republic of China Ceremonial heads of state China politics - related lists 1954 establishments in China 1975 disestablishments 1982 establishments in China Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter Use dmy dates from January 2018 Articles containing Chinese - language text Interlanguage link template link number Talk Contents About Wikipedia Български Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Esperanto فارسی Français 한국어 हिन्दी Italiano עברית Қазақша Македонски മലയാളം Bahasa Melayu 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча Polski Português Русский Simple English Slovenščina Suomi Svenska Türkçe Українська اردو Vahcuengh Tiếng Việt 文言 粵語 中文 27 more Edit links This page was last edited on 19 August 2018, at 20 : 31 ( UTC ). 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Question: name the president of china who will serve a second five year term this time
Answer: Xi Jinping