President of the People's Republic of China

The president of the People's Republic of China acts as the nation's head of state. Unlike similar positions in western republics and democracies, the presidency in the PRC is largely ceremonial office with little true power. As such, the president also usually holds the office of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and thus has nearly unlimited legal authority to do as he pleases.

• Current President: Xi Jinping

• Established: September 27, 1954

• Term Length: Five Years

• Term Limits: No Term Limits

Recent Changes

Prior to 2018, China's constitution stipulated that a president could not serve more than two terms. An amendment spearhead by Xi Jinping, the current General Secretary and incumbent president, abolished the artificial limits and allowed for unlimited appointments to the Presidency.

In 2019, an investigative commission formed by the United States government recommended that western powers stop referring to Mr. Jinping as the president of the People's Republic of China, as the title infers he was elected though a free and fair process. In reality, the holder of the position is determined by the CPC. The commission argued that official documents should refer to Xi as General Secretary, as that position is where his true power emanates from.