This is a list of the premiers of the People's Republic of China from 1949.
The first recorded instance of a monarch of China appointing a chief minister was around 1130 BC, by King Tang of the Shang dynasty. Since then, almost every monarch in China appointed a chief minister to help him or her to run the administration. This role has been known by several different names, most commonly Chancellor. With the unification of China under the First Emperor of the Qin dynasty in 221 BC, the power in the premiers' hands was reduced because of the Emperors' intentions of setting up an absolute monarchy. In 1380, the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming dynasty ordered the death of his Chancellor, and did not appoint another in his lifetime. From then until 1911, a number of people formally shared the responsibility of chief minister to the Emperor. Even when one of them dominated government, such as in the case of Li Hongzhang, they were nevertheless formally just one of several ministers of equal status. During much of the Qing dynasty, for example, the traditional role of the Chancellor was performed collectively by the Grand Council.
In mid-1911, the modern position of Prime Minister was created, when the Qing Imperial Government created the "Princes' Cabinet" as a reform of Chinese politics. When Yuan Shikai took over the premiership, the premiers of China played an influential role in Chinese politics. Shortly afterwards, the imperial house was overthrown and the premiers of the Republic of China became the head of government in China, until the defeat in the Chinese Civil War.
List
Generations of leadership
Portrait NameTerm of office NPC State Council President Paramount leader 1 Zhou Enlai 1949 1954 CP Zhou I Mao Zedong 1954 1959 I Zhou II Mao Zedong 1959 1964 II Zhou III Liu Shaoqi Mao Zedong 1964 1975 III Zhou IV Liu Shaoqi then vacant Mao Zedong 1975 1976 IV Zhou V Abolished Mao Zedong 2 Hua Guofeng 1976 1976 IV (acting) Abolished Mao Zedong 1976 1978 Hua I Abolished Himself 1978 1980 V Hua II Abolished Deng Xiaoping 3 Zhao Ziyang 1980 1983 V (acting) Abolished Deng Xiaoping 1983 1987 VI Zhao Li Xiannian Deng Xiaoping 4 Li Peng 1987 1988 VI (acting) Li Xiannian Deng Xiaoping 1988 1993 VII Li P. I Yang Shangkun Deng XiaopingJiang Zemin 1993 1998 VIII Li P. II Jiang Zemin 5 Zhu Rongji 1998 2003 IX Zhu Jiang Zemin 6 Wen Jiabao 2003 2008 X Wen I Hu Jintao 2008 2013 XI Wen II Hu Jintao 7 Li Keqiang 2013 2018 XII Li K. Xi Jinping 2018 2023 XIII Xi Jinping 8 Li Qiang 2023 Incumbent XIV Li Q. Xi Jinping
See also List of presidents of China List of Chinese leaders Paramount leader
References
fr:Premiers ministres de la République populaire de Chine