List of Presidents of China: Past and Present

Last updated November 2026

This page lists the presidents and heads of state of China from 1949 to the present, with the years each leader was in office and a short summary of their time in power. Use it to find the current president of China, former presidents, and key dates in the country's political history.

Current president of China: Xi Jinping (in office since 2013). The president of the People's Republic of China is the head of state, a largely ceremonial office; Xi Jinping also leads the Communist Party as general secretary and the armed forces as chairman of the Central Military Commission. The office was vacant from 1975 to 1983, when head-of-state duties passed to the chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

Presidents of China in order, with years in office

Mao Zedong

Served: 1949–1959

Founding leader who headed the Central People's Government from October 1949 and was the first chairman of the People's Republic from 1954.

Liu Shaoqi

Served: 1959–1968

Chairman of the People's Republic who was purged during the Cultural Revolution and died in 1969.

Dong Biwu

Served: 1968–1975 (acting)

Vice chairman who acted as head of state after Liu Shaoqi's removal; he acted alone from 1972 until the office was abolished.

Soong Ching-ling

Served: 1968–1972 (acting)

Vice chairwoman and widow of Sun Yat-sen who acted as co-head of state with Dong Biwu from 1968 to 1972.

Zhu De

Served: 1975–1976

Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, who performed head-of-state duties until his death in July 1976.

Soong Ching-ling

Served: 1976–1978 (acting)

Acted as head of state after Zhu De's death; the National People's Congress named her honorary president in May 1981, shortly before her death.

Ye Jianying

Served: 1978–1983

Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, which carried out the head of state's duties.

Li Xiannian

Served: 1983–1988

First president under the 1982 constitution, which restored the office.

Yang Shangkun

Served: 1988–1993

Army veteran and former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Jiang Zemin

Served: 1993–2003

Also served as Communist Party general secretary and head of the Central Military Commission.

Hu Jintao

Served: 2003–2013

Served two terms as president and party leader.

Xi Jinping

Served: 2013–present

Took office on 14 March 2013; term limits for the presidency were removed in 2018, and he began a third term in March 2023.

Frequently asked questions about the presidents of China

Who is the current president of China?

The current head of state of China is Xi Jinping, in office since 2013. The president of the People's Republic of China is the head of state, a largely ceremonial office; Xi Jinping also leads the Communist Party as general secretary and the armed forces as chairman of the Central Military Commission. The office was vacant from 1975 to 1983, when head-of-state duties passed to the chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

Who were the previous presidents of China?

The presidents and heads of state of China listed on this page, in order, are: Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Dong Biwu, Soong Ching-ling, Zhu De, Soong Ching-ling, Ye Jianying, Li Xiannian, Yang Shangkun, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, Xi Jinping.

Who was the first president of China?

Mao Zedong was the first president of China, in office 1949–1959.

Sources: Wikipedia, List of presidents of China and List of state representatives of the People's Republic of China; ibiblio Chinese history list of Chairmen; Xinhua and Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports on Xi Jinping's September 2026 state visit to the United States (checked Nov 2026). Heads of state of the People's Republic since 1949; acting heads of state are labelled. Presidents of the Republic of China are listed on the Taiwan page.. Last reviewed November 2026.

Presidents of other Asia countries