# List of presidents of the Republic of China

* Top left: Sun Yat-sen was the first President of the Provisional Government.
* Top right: Chiang Kai-shek was the first President under the 1947 Constitution.
* Bottom left: Lee Teng-hui was the first President directly elected by popular vote.
* Bottom right: Tsai Ing-wen was the first female President.
This is a list of the presidents of the Republic of China.
The Republic of China controlled Mainland China before 1949. In the fall of 1949, the ROC government retreated to Taiwan and surrounding islands as a result of the takeover of the mainland by the Chinese Communist Party and founding of the People's Republic of China. Since 1949, the Republic of China, now commonly known as "Taiwan", has only controlled Taiwan and nearby islands. Martial law ended in Taiwan in the 1980s and direct elections were introduced in 1996.
The official name of the office in Chinese has changed several times.
| Year | Chinese | Mandarin Pinyin | Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī | Hakka Pha̍k-fa-sṳ | English Translation |
| 1912–1928 | 大總統 | Dàzǒngtǒng | Tōa-chóng-thóng | Thai-chúng-thúng | Great President |
| 1928–1947 | 國民政府主席 | Guómín Zhèngfǔ Zhǔxí | Kok-bîn Chèng-hú Chú-se̍k | Koet-mìn Chṳn-fú Chú-si̍t | Chairman of the Nationalist Government |
| 1947–present | 總統 | Zǒngtǒng | Chóng-thóng | Chúng-thúng | President |

## List

Provisional Government: Tongmenghui  Beiyang clique, etc. Beiyang Government: Beiyang clique, etc.  Progressive Party/Research Clique  Communications Clique Nationalist to Constitutional Government: Kuomintang  Democratic Progressive Party
Presidents of the Provisional Government :
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Vice President | Vice President | Assembly (elected) |
| 1 | | Sun Yat-sen 孫中山 (1866–1925) | 1 January 1912 | 10 March 1912 | Tongmenghui | | Li Yuanhong (Independent) | Provisional (1911) |
| 2 | | Yuan Shikai 袁世凱 (1859–1916) | 10 March 1912 | 10 October 1913 | Beiyang clique | | Li Yuanhong (Independent) | Provisional (1912) |
| Presidents of the Beiyang Government |||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Vice President | Vice President | Assembly (elected) |
| 1 | | Yuan Shikai 袁世凱 (1859–1916) | 10 October 1913 | 6 June 1916 | Beiyang clique | | Li Yuanhong (Progressive) | 1st (1913) |
| 2 | | Li Yuanhong 黎元洪 (1864–1928) | 7 June 1916 | 17 July 1917 | Progressive Party | | Feng Guozhang (Zhili clique) | 1st (1913) |
| — | | Feng Guozhang 馮國璋 (1859–1919) (acting) | 17 July 1917 | 10 October 1918 | Zhili clique | Vacant | Vacant | | 1st (1913) |
| 3 | | Xu Shichang 徐世昌 (1855–1939) | 10 October 1918 | 2 June 1922 | Anhui clique | Vacant | Vacant | 2nd (1918) |
| — | | Zhou Ziqi 周自齊 (1871–1923) (acting) | 2 June 1922 | 11 June 1922 | Communications Clique | Vacant | Vacant | | 2nd (1918) |
| (2) | | Li Yuanhong 黎元洪 (1864–1928) | 11 June 1922 | 13 June 1923 | Research Clique | Vacant | Vacant | | 2nd (1918) |
| — | | Gao Lingwei 高凌霨 (1868–1939) (acting) | 14 June 1923 | 10 October 1923 | Zhili clique | Vacant | Vacant | | 2nd (1918) |
| 4 | | Cao Kun 曹錕 (1862–1938) | 10 October 1923 | 2 November 1924 | Zhili clique | Vacant | Vacant | (1923) |
| — | | Huang Fu 黃郛 (1883–1936) (acting) | 2 November 1924 | 24 November 1924 | Nonpartisan | Vacant | Vacant | | (1923) |
| 5 | | Duan Qirui 段祺瑞 (1865–1936) | 24 November 1924 | 20 April 1926 | Anhui clique | Vacant | Vacant | | (1923) |
| 5 | | Duan Qirui 段祺瑞 (1865–1936) | 24 November 1924 | 20 April 1926 | Anhui clique | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant |
| — | | Hu Weide 胡惟德 (1863–1933) (acting) | 20 April 1926 | 13 May 1926 | Zhili clique | Vacant | Vacant | | Vacant |
| — | | Yan Huiqing (W.W. Yan) 顏惠慶 (1877–1950) (acting) | 13 May 1926 | 22 June 1926 | Nonpartisan | Vacant | Vacant | | Vacant |
| — | | Du Xigui 杜錫珪 (1875–1933) (acting) | 22 June 1926 | 1 October 1926 | Zhili clique | Vacant | Vacant | | Vacant |
| — | | V.K. Wellington Koo 顧維鈞 (1888–1985) (acting) | 1 October 1926 | 17 June 1927 | Nonpartisan | Vacant | Vacant | | Vacant |
| 6 | | Zhang Zuolin 張作霖 (1875–1928) | 18 June 1927 | 4 June 1928 | Fengtian clique | Vacant | Vacant | | Vacant |
| Chairman of the Nationalist Government |||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Assembly (elected) | Assembly (elected) | Assembly (elected) |
| 1 | | Tan Yankai 譚延闓 (1880–1930) | 7 February 1928 | 10 October 1928 | Kuomintang | | 2nd National Congress of Kuomintang (4th plenum) | 2nd National Congress of Kuomintang (4th plenum) |
| 2 | | Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 (1887–1975) | 10 October 1928 | 15 December 1931 | Kuomintang | | 2nd National Congress of Kuomintang (5th plenum) | 2nd National Congress of Kuomintang (5th plenum) |
| — | | Lin Sen 林森 (1868–1943) | 15 December 1931 | 1 August 1943 | Kuomintang | | 2nd National Congress of Kuomintang (5th plenum) | 2nd National Congress of Kuomintang (5th plenum) |
| 3 | | Lin Sen 林森 (1868–1943) | 15 December 1931 | 1 August 1943 | Kuomintang | | 4th National Congress of Kuomintang (1st plenum) | 4th National Congress of Kuomintang (1st plenum) |
| — | | Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 (1887–1975) | 1 August 1943 | 20 May 1948 | Kuomintang | | 4th National Congress of Kuomintang (1st plenum) | 4th National Congress of Kuomintang (1st plenum) |
| 4 | | Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 (1887–1975) | 1 August 1943 | 20 May 1948 | Kuomintang | | 5th National Congress of Kuomintang (11th plenum) | 5th National Congress of Kuomintang (11th plenum) |
| Presidents after the 1947 Constitution |||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Vice President | Vice President | Term (elected) |
| 1 | | Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 (1887–1975) | 20 May 1948 | 21 January 1949 | Kuomintang | | Li Zongren (Kuomintang) | 1 (1948) |
| — | | Li Zongren 李宗仁 (1890–1969) (acting) | 21 January 1949 | 20 November 1949 | Kuomintang | Vacant | Vacant | | 1 (1948) |
| — | | Yan Xishan 閻錫山 (1883–1960) (acting) | 20 November 1949 | 1 March 1950 | Kuomintang | Vacant | Vacant | | 1 (1948) |
| (1) | | Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 (1887–1975) | 1 March 1950 | 5 April 1975 | Kuomintang | | Li Zongren (Kuomintang) | 1 (1948) |
| 1 (1948) ||
| (1) | | Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 (1887–1975) | 1 March 1950 | 5 April 1975 | Kuomintang | | Chen Cheng (Kuomintang) | 2 (1954) |
| (1) | | Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 (1887–1975) | 1 March 1950 | 5 April 1975 | Kuomintang | | Chen Cheng (Kuomintang) | 3 (1960) |
| 3 (1960) ||
| (1) | | Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 (1887–1975) | 1 March 1950 | 5 April 1975 | Kuomintang | | Yen Chia-kan (Kuomintang) | 4 (1966) |
| (1) | | Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 (1887–1975) | 1 March 1950 | 5 April 1975 | Kuomintang | | Yen Chia-kan (Kuomintang) | 5 (1972) |
| 2 | | Yen Chia-kan (C. K. Yen) 嚴家淦 (1905–1993) | 5 April 1975 | 20 May 1978 | Kuomintang | Vacant | Vacant | | 5 (1972) |
| 3 | | Chiang Ching-kuo 蔣經國 (1910–1988) | 20 May 1978 | 13 January 1988 | Kuomintang | | Hsieh Tung-min (Kuomintang) | 6 (1978) |
| 3 | | Chiang Ching-kuo 蔣經國 (1910–1988) | 20 May 1978 | 13 January 1988 | Kuomintang | | Lee Teng-hui (Kuomintang) | 7 (1984) |
| 4 | | Lee Teng-hui 李登輝 (1923–2020) | 13 January 1988 | 20 May 2000 | Kuomintang | Vacant | Vacant | | 7 (1984) |
| 4 | | Lee Teng-hui 李登輝 (1923–2020) | 13 January 1988 | 20 May 2000 | Kuomintang | | Lee Yuan-tsu (Kuomintang) | 8 (1990) |
| 4 | | Lee Teng-hui 李登輝 (1923–2020) | 13 January 1988 | 20 May 2000 | Kuomintang | | Lien Chan (Kuomintang) | 9 (1996) |
| 5 | | Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁 (born 1950) | 20 May 2000 | 20 May 2008 | Democratic Progressive | | Annette Lu (DPP) | 10 (2000) |
| 5 | | Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁 (born 1950) | 20 May 2000 | 20 May 2008 | Democratic Progressive | | Annette Lu (DPP) | 11 (2004) |
| 6 | | Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 (born 1950) | 20 May 2008 | 20 May 2016 | Kuomintang | | Vincent Siew (Kuomintang) | 12 (2008) |
| 6 | | Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 (born 1950) | 20 May 2008 | 20 May 2016 | Kuomintang | | Wu Den-yih (Kuomintang) | 13 (2012) |
| 7 | | Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文 (born 1956) | 20 May 2016 | 20 May 2024 | Democratic Progressive | | Chen Chien-jen (Independent) | 14 (2016) |
| 7 | | Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文 (born 1956) | 20 May 2016 | 20 May 2024 | Democratic Progressive | | Lai Ching-te (DPP) | 15 (2020) |
| 8 | | Lai Ching-te 賴清德 (born 1959) | 20 May 2024 | Incumbent | Democratic Progressive | | Hsiao Bi-khim (DPP) | 16 (2024) |

## Presidential age-related data (post-1947 Constitution)

Key:
| # | President | Born | Age at start of presidency | Age at end of presidency | Post-presidency timespan | Lifespan | Lifespan |
| # | President | Born | Age at start of presidency | Age at end of presidency | Post-presidency timespan | Died | Age |
| 01 | Chiang Kai-shek | Oct 31, 1887 | 60 years, 202 days May 20, 1948 | 87 years, 156 days Apr 5, 1975 | (died in office) | Apr 5, 1975 | 87 years, 156 days |
| 02 | Yen Chia-kan | Oct 23, 1905 | 69 years, 165 days Apr 6, 1975 | 72 years, 209 days May 20, 1978 | 15 years, 218 days | Dec 24, 1993 | 88 years, 62 days |
| 03 | Chiang Ching-kuo | Apr 27, 1910 | 68 years, 23 days May 20, 1978 | 77 years, 261 days Jan 13, 1988 | (died in office) | Jan 13, 1988 | 77 years, 261 days |
| 04 | Lee Teng-hui | Jan 15, 1923 | 64 years, 363 days Jan 13, 1988 | 77 years, 126 days May 20, 2000 | 21 years, 71 days | Jul 30, 2020 | 97 years, 197 days |
| 05 | Chen Shui-bian | Oct 12, 1950 | 49 years, 221 days May 20, 2000 | 57 years, 221 days May 20, 2008 | 16 years, 295 days | 2025-03-11(living) | 74 years, 150 days |
| 06 | Ma Ying-jeou | Jul 13, 1950 | 57 years, 312 days May 20, 2008 | 65 years, 312 days May 20, 2016 | 8 years, 295 days | 2025-03-11(living) | 74 years, 241 days |
| 07 | Tsai Ing-wen | Aug 31, 1956 | 59 years, 263 days May 20, 2016 | 67 years, 263 days May 20, 2024 | 295 days | 2025-03-11(living) | 68 years, 192 days |
| 08 | Lai Ching-te | Oct 6, 1959 | 64 years, 227 days May 20, 2024 | 65 years, 156 days(incumbent) | (incumbent) | 2025-03-11(living) | 65 years, 156 days |

### Oldest living

Green text and an asterisk mark the inauguration date of a president older than any living ex-president. Other dates are the deaths of the then-oldest president.
| President | Date range | Age at start | Age at end | Time span |
| Chiang Kai-shek | May 20, 1948* – April 5, 1975 | 60 years, 202 days | 87 years, 156 days | 26 years, 320 days |
| Yen Chia-kan | April 6, 1975* – December 24, 1993 | 69 years, 165 days | 88 years, 62 days | 18 years, 262 days |
| Lee Teng-hui | December 24, 1993 – July 30, 2020 | 70 years, 343 days | 97 years, 197 days | 26 years, 219 days |
| Ma Ying-jeou | July 30, 2020 – present | 70 years, 17 days | 74 years, 241 days(living) | 4 years, 224 days |

### Graphical representation

This is a graphical lifespan timeline of the presidents of the Republic of China (post-1947 Constitution) and they are listed in order of office.
The following chart shows presidents by their age (living presidents in green), with the years of their presidency in blue.

## Gallery

* Presidential Office of the Beiyang government (1912–1928) in Beijing
* Presidential Office (occ. 1928–1937, 1946–1949) of the Nationalist government (1928–1948) and the Government of the Republic of China (1948–current) in Nanjing
* Presidential Office (occ. 1950–current) of the Government of the Republic of China (1948–current) in Taipei