List of state representatives of the People's Republic of China

The position of state representative is the most senior state office of the People's Republic of China, with a role similar to a ceremonial head of state and is the second to eighth highest-ranking position in Chinese history, always under the leader of the Chinese Communist Party. Since 1993, the state representative is often, but not always, also the paramount leader of China. Under the current constitution, which does not officially define any office as the head of state, the state representative is the president. The role was created in 1954 when the first constitution consolidated the system of government in the People's Republic of China. At the time, the title was translated into English as State Chairman. The position was abolished between 1975 and 1982 with the functions of state representative being performed by the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. The presidency was revived under the fourth constitution in 1982.

List of state representatives Generations of leadership

Central People's Government (1949–1954) Chairman of the Central People's Government PortraitName(Lifespan)Term of officeParamount leader– Mao Zedong毛泽东(1893–1976)1 October 194927 September 1954 Zhu DeLiu ShaoqiSoong Ching-lingLi JishenZhang LanGao Gang Himself Mao also held more powerful offices as Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, making him the Paramount leader of China.

The 1st Constitution (1954–1975) Chairman of the People's Republic of China + S. No.PortraitName(Lifespan)ConstituencyTerm of officeNPCVice ChairmenParamount leader1 Mao Zedong毛泽东(1893–1976)Beijing At-large 27 September 195427 April 1959 I Zhu DeMao Zedong2 Liu Shaoqi刘少奇(1898–1969)Beijing At-large27 April 19593 January 1965 II Soong Ching-lingDong Biwu3 January 196531 October 1968 IIIacting Soong Ching-ling宋庆龄(1893–1981)Shanghai At-large31 October 196824 February 1972 III Dong Biwuacting Dong Biwu董必武(1886–1975)Hubei At-large24 February 197217 January 1975 III Soong Ching-ling

The 2nd and 3rd Constitutions (1975–1982)

Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress

PortraitName(Lifespan)ConstituencyTerm of officeNPCVice ChairmenParamount leader– Zhu De朱德(1886–1976)Sichuan At-large17 January 19756 July 1976 IV Soong Ching-lingDong Biwu (died 2 April 1975)and others Mao Zedong– Soong Ching-ling宋庆龄(1893–1981)Shanghai At-large6 July 19765 March 1978 Mao ZedongHua GuofengAfter Zhu De's death, Soong Ching-ling served as acting Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for the remainder of the 4th National People's Congress's term. She was a member of the Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang.– Ye Jianying叶剑英(1897–1986)PLA5 March 197818 June 1983 V Soong Ching-lingand others Hua GuofengDeng Xiaoping

Honorary Chairwoman of the People's Republic of China PortraitName(Birth–Death)ConstituencyTerm of officeNPCNotes– Soong Ching-ling宋庆龄(1893–1981)Shanghai At-large16 May 198129 May 1981 VShortly before her death, Soong Ching-ling, a member of the Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang, was named Honorary Chairwoman of the People's Republic of China.

The 4th Constitution (1983–present) President of the People's Republic of China PortraitName(Lifespan)ConstituencyTerm of officeNPC — Vice President Paramount leader3 Li Xiannian李先念(1909–1992)Hubei At-large18 June 19838 April 1988 VI — Ulanhu Deng Xiaoping During Li's term, China undertook major reforms in foreign policy, beginning to open up to the outside world. Li, who took on an important role in the ousting of the Gang of Four, became the first President of the People's Republic to visit the United States. He was also the first state president to visit North Korea. In 1984, Li met with U.S. President Ronald Reagan during Reagan's visit to China, notably discussing the status of Taiwan with the President. After leaving office as president, Li was then named Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC.4 Yang Shangkun杨尚昆(1907–1998)PLA8 April 198827 March 1993 VII — Wang Zhen Deng XiaopingJiang Zemin An elder from the party's revolutionary days, Yang was a political survivor of the Cultural Revolution. During his presidency, Yang promoted economic reform but opposed political liberalization. Yang reached the height of his political career after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, but his organized opposition to Jiang Zemin's leadership led Deng to force Yang to retire. Yang served as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission between 1983 and 1993.5 Jiang Zemin江泽民(1926–2022)Shanghai At-large27 March 199315 March 1998 VIII — Rong Yiren Himself15 March 199815 March 2003 IX — Hu Jintao Once the mayor and party secretary of Shanghai, Jiang's assumption of the presidency in 1993 marked a return to the centralization of major titles at the national level – Jiang also held the more powerful offices of General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 1989. Under Jiang's leadership, China experienced substantial developmental growth with the reform and opening up, oversaw the handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom and Macau from Portugal, and improved its relations with the outside world while the Communist Party maintained its tight control over the government. Jiang was criticized for being too concerned about his personal image at home, and too conciliatory towards Russia and the United States abroad.6 Hu Jintao胡锦涛(born 1942)Tibet At-large (until 2008)Jiangsu At-large (from 2008)15 March 200315 March 2008 X — Zeng Qinghong Himself15 March 200814 March 2013 XI — Xi Jinping Hu, long having been anointed by Deng as Jiang's successor, took over the presidency in 2003, and also held the offices of General Secretary of the Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission. Hu presided over nearly a decade of consistent economic growth and a relatively smooth recovery from the 2008 financial crisis. China emerged as a major world power during Hu's term.7 Xi Jinping习近平(born 1953)Shanghai At-large (until 2018)Inner Mongolia At-large (2018–2023)Jiangsu At-large (from 2023)14 March 201317 March 2018 XII — Li Yuanchao Himself17 March 201810 March 2023 XIII — Wang Qishan10 March 2023Incumbent XIV — Han Zheng Xi became president in 2013, and also held the offices of General Secretary of the Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2012. Xi increased the profile of the office of president in foreign affairs, for example receiving other heads of state during the 2015 China Victory Day Parade, going on high-profile visits to the United Kingdom and the United States, and making an important address at the Global Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Under his leadership, Xi strengthened mass surveillance and launched Xinjiang internment camps. Xi presided over anti-corruption campaign. In foreign policy, Xi advocated for "Wolf warrior diplomacy". Term limits for the president were removed in 2018.

Statistics #PresidentDate of birthAge at ascension (first term)Time in office (total)Age at retirement (last term)Date of deathLongevity1Zedong, MaoMao Zedong1893122626 December 1893(26 December 1893)60 27560 years, 275 days04 2124 years, 212 days64 12264 years, 122 days197609099 September 197682 years, 258 days2Shaoqi, LiuLiu Shaoqi1898112424 November 1898(24 November 1898)60 15460 years, 154 days09 1879 years, 187 days69 34269 years, 342 days1969111212 November 196970 years, 353 daysPresidency vacantActingBiwu, DongDong Biwu188603055 March 1886(5 March 1886)85 35685 years, 356 days02 3272 years, 327 days88 31888 years, 318 days197504022 April 197589 years, 28 daysHon.Ching-ling, SoongSoong Ching-ling1893012727 January 1893(27 January 1893)83 16188 years, 109 days01 242Honorary– 85 0371981052929 May 198188 years, 122 daysPresidency abolished3Xiannian, LiLi Xiannian1909062323 June 1909(23 June 1909)73 36073 years, 360 days04 2954 years, 295 days78 29078 years, 290 days1992062121 June 199282 years, 364 days4Shangkun, YangYang Shangkun190708033 August 1907(3 August 1907)80 25080 years, 250 days04 3524 years, 352 days85 23685 years, 236 days1998091414 September 199891 years, 42 days5Zemin, JiangJiang Zemin1926081717 August 1926(17 August 1926)66 22266 years, 222 days09 3539 years, 353 days76 21076 years, 210 days2022113030 November 202296 years, 105 days6Jintao, HuHu Jintao1942122121 December 1942(21 December 1942)60 08460 years, 84 days09 3649 years, 365 days70 08470 years, 84 daysLiving (Living)7Jinping, XiXi Jinping1953061515 June 1953(15 June 1953)59 years, 272 days (Incumbent)IncumbentLiving (Living)

Election results No.YearElectoral collegeTotal SeatsPresident-electVotersForAgainstAbstainResult119541st National People's Congress1226Mao Zedong1210121000Elected219592nd National People's Congress1235Liu ShaoqiElected19643rd National People's Congress3040ElectedN/A19754th National People's Congress2864Presidency vacant19785th National People's Congress3497Presidency abolished319836th National People's Congress2978Li XiannianElected419887th National People's Congress2970Yang Shangkun2970281212434Elected519938th National People's Congress2977Jiang Zemin291828583525Elected19989th National People's Congress2983294728823629Elected6200310th National People's Congress2985Hu Jintao2944293743Elected200811th National People's Congress29872964295635Elected7201312th National People's Congress2987Xi Jinping2956295213Elected201813th National People's Congress29802970297000Elected202314th National People's Congress29772952295200Elected

Timeline

List of state representatives of the People's Republic of China

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