President of China facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the People's Republic of China
Flag of China
National Emblem of China
Incumbent Xi Jinping since 14 March 2013
Office of the President of the People's Republic of China
Style	Mr. President (主席) (informal) His Excellency (阁下) (diplomatic)
Reports to	Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
Residence	Zhongnanhai
Seat	Beijing
Nominator	Presidium of the National People's Congress
Appointer	National People's Congress
Term length	Five years, renewable indefinitely
Constituting instrument	Constitution of China
Precursor	Chairman of the Central People's Government (1949–1954)
Formation	1 January 1912; 113 years ago (1912-01-01) (Republican era) 27 September 1954; 70 years ago (1954-09-27) (current form)
First holder	Sun Yat-sen (Republican era) Mao Zedong (current form)
Abolished	1975–1982
Deputy	Vice President
Salary	CN¥136,620 per annum est. (2015) ($18,721 USD)

The President of China is the official leader who represents the People's Republic of China. This role is mostly ceremonial, meaning it involves important duties like greeting foreign leaders but doesn't hold much direct power in China's government.

However, since 1993, the person holding the title of President has also been the leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the head of the military. This makes them the most powerful leader in China.

The President's role is part of China's unique government system. In this system, the National People's Congress (NPC) is the highest power. The President works with the NPC to perform duties that a country's head of state would normally do.

The first person to represent China was Sun Yat-sen in 1912. The current form of the presidency started in 1954. It was held by leaders like Mao Zedong and Liu Shaoqi. After a period when the role was empty or abolished, it was brought back in 1982. At first, the President had limited powers and could only serve two terms. But in 2018, these term limits were removed.

What is the History of the President's Role?

How the Role Started in 1954

The role of "state chairman" (which was the original name) was created in 1954. This leader had ceremonial powers, similar to today's President. But they also had some military and government powers. The state chairman commanded the armed forces and led the National Defence Council. This council was in charge of the military. The state chairman could also call special meetings with other state leaders. These meetings were meant to give advice to the main government bodies. Both the National Defence Council and these special meetings were removed from the Constitution in 1975.

Changes to the Role Until 1974

Mao Zedong was the first state chairman, elected in 1954. In 1959, Liu Shaoqi took over the role. Liu was re-elected in 1965. However, during the Cultural Revolution, Liu Shaoqi lost his positions. This happened even though the Constitution said only the NPC could remove the state chairman. After Liu was removed in 1968, the role of state chairman was empty. From 1972 to 1975, Dong Biwu acted as the state chairman.

Why the Role Was Removed in 1975

In 1975, a new Constitution was adopted. This Constitution removed the state chairman role. It focused more on the leadership of the Communist Party. The head of the Communist Party became the supreme commander of the military. The duties of representing the state were given to the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. In 1978, another Constitution was adopted. It also didn't have the state chairman role.

When the Role Was Brought Back in 1982

In 1980, leaders decided to bring back the presidency. They realized that having the NPC Standing Committee chairman as the national representative caused problems. This was because that role was like a parliament speaker in other countries. So, the presidency was brought back in 1982. This time, the President's role was mostly ceremonial, like a figurehead in some other countries. The real power was with the General Secretary of the Communist Party, the Premier, and the head of the military.

At first, these four top jobs were meant to be held by different people. This was to prevent one person from becoming too powerful, like Mao had been. The President's duties included greeting foreign guests and signing official documents. They were not supposed to interfere with the government or the Party. The Constitution also set term limits, meaning a President could only serve two terms.

In the 1980s, the President, Premier, and Party General Secretary were different people. However, leaders like Li Xiannian and Yang Shangkun were still important. Their power came from being influential older leaders, not just from being President.

In the 1990s, the idea of separating party and state jobs changed. In 1993, Jiang Zemin became President. He was already the Party General Secretary and head of the military. This made him the clear top leader. Later, Hu Jintao and then Xi Jinping followed this pattern, holding all three top positions.

On March 11, 2018, the term limits for the President and Vice President were removed. This change was made to match the President's role with the other powerful positions, which don't have term limits.

How is the President Chosen?

Who Can Be President?

To become President, a person must:

• Be a Chinese citizen.
• Have the right to vote and run for election.
• Be at least 45 years old.

The Election Process

The President is nominated by the Presidium of the National People's Congress. This group is the executive body of the NPC. However, the nomination is usually decided by the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party. Only one candidate is ever nominated for the presidency.

The National People's Congress then elects the President. The NPC also has the power to remove the President. Elections and removals are decided by a majority vote. The President serves a five-year term, just like the NPC. Since 2018, the President must take a special oath before starting their job.

What Powers and Duties Does the President Have?

The President acts as China's representative both inside the country and to other nations. The Constitution says the presidency is a state body that performs state activities.

Under the current Constitution, the President can:

• Announce new laws.
• Choose and remove the Premier (head of government), Vice Premiers, and other ministers.
• Grant pardons (forgive crimes).
• Declare states of emergency.
• Issue orders for large-scale public actions.
• Give out state awards.
• Appoint and remove ambassadors to other countries.
• Sign and cancel treaties with other countries.

All these powers need the approval of the National People's Congress (NPC). This means the President is mostly a symbolic figure without direct control over the government. The only power that doesn't need NPC oversight is conducting state visits to other countries.

In theory, the President can choose the Premier. But in reality, the Premier is usually chosen through discussions among the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party. The NPC then votes to confirm the choice. So far, the NPC has never rejected a nomination.

The current director of the Office of the President of the PRC is Han Shiming.

How Has the President's Political Importance Changed?

The President's political importance has changed over time, depending on who held the office. For example, the second President, Liu Shaoqi, was also a top leader in the Communist Party, ranking second only to Mao Zedong. President Li Xiannian was also a high-ranking member of the Party's Politburo Standing Committee.

However, President Yang Shangkun was not part of that top committee but was still a very important leader. Since Jiang Zemin became President in 1993, the President has also been the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. This makes the President the highest-ranking leader in both the Party and the state.

What is the Official Title of the President?

The Chinese title for the office is "Guójiā Zhǔxí" (国家主席), which means "state chairman." However, since 1982, the official English translation has been "President of the People's Republic of China," instead of "Chairman of the People's Republic of China."

What Happens if the President's Office Becomes Empty?

If the President's office becomes empty, the Vice President takes over. If both offices become empty, the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress temporarily acts as President. This continues until the NPC can elect a new President and Vice President.

Who is Next in Line for the Presidency?

List of State Representatives

Chairpeople

• 

  Liu Shaoqi
  (27 April 1959 –
  31 October 1968)

• 

  Dong Biwu
  (Vice-Chairman acted as the Chairman
  31 October 1968 –
  24 February 1972;
  Acted Chairman
  24 February 1972 –
  17 January 1975)

• 

  Song Qingling
  (Vice-Chairwoman acted as the Chairwoman
  31 October 1968 –
  24 February 1972;
  Honorary Chairwoman
  16 May 1981 –
  29 May 1981)

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

• 

  Zhu De
  (17 January 1975 –
  6 July 1976)

• 

  Song Qingling
  (Acting Chairwoman
  6 July 1976 –
  5 March 1978)

• 

  Ye Jianying
  (5 March 1978 –
  18 June 1983)

Presidents

• 

  Li Xiannian
  (18 June 1983 –
  8 April 1988)

• 

  Yang Shangkun
  (8 April 1988 –
  27 March 1993)

• 

  Jiang Zemin
  (27 March 1993 –
  15 March 2003)

• 

  Hu Jintao
  (15 March 2003 –
  14 March 2013)

• 

  Xi Jinping
  (14 March 2013 –
  present)

Statistics About Presidents

Who is the Spouse of the President?

Since the first President, six Presidents have been married while in office. The current spouse is Peng Liyuan, who is married to President Xi Jinping.

No.	Image	Spouse	President	Tenure
1		Jiang Qing	Mao Zedong	27 September 1954 – 27 April 1959
2		Wang Guangmei	Liu Shaoqi	27 April 1959 – 31 October 1968
3		Lin Jiamei	Li Xiannian	18 June 1983 – 8 April 1988
	Vacant		Yang Shangkun	8 April 1988 – 27 March 1993
4		Wang Yeping	Jiang Zemin	27 March 1993 – 15 March 2003
5		Liu Yongqing	Hu Jintao	15 March 2003 – 14 March 2013
6		Peng Liyuan	Xi Jinping	14 March 2013 – Incumbent

See also

In Spanish: Presidente de la República Popular China para niños

• List of Chinese leaders
• List of leaders of the People's Republic of China
• Orders of precedence in China