List of Presidents of the Republic of China

Not to be confused with the List of Presidents of the People's Republic of China.

To avoid confusion, all the names on this list follow the Eastern order convention (family name first, given name second) for consistency.

The official residence of the President of the Republic of China in Zhongzheng, Taipei.

This is a list of the Presidents of the Republic of China (1912–present). The Republic of China's President is called 總統 (zǒngtǒng), and from 1912–1928, 大總統 (dàzǒngtǒng).

Timeline of Presidents

The list

      Non-Partisan       Tongmenghui       Beiyang clique       Progressive       Kuomintang (Nationalist)       Democratic Progressive

Presidents of the Provisional Government

• period: January 1, 1912 - October 10, 1913

#	President		Took office	Left office	Party	Vice President	Term
	Portrait	Name
1		Sun Yat-sen 孫文 Sūn Wén 1866–1925	January 1, 1912	April 1, 1912	Tongmenghui	Li Yuanhong	—
2		Yuan Shikai 袁世凱 Yuán Shìkǎi 1859–1915	March 10, 1912	October 10, 1913	Beiyang clique	Li Yuanhong	—

Presidents of the Beiyang Government

• period: October 10, 1913 - June 2, 1928

#	President		Took office	Left office	Party	Vice President	Term
	Portrait	Name
1		Yuan Shikai 袁世凱 Yuán Shìkǎi 1859–1915	October 10, 1913	June 6, 1916	Beiyang clique	Li Yuanhong	1
2		Li Yuanhong 黎元洪 Lí Yuánhóng 1864–1928	June 7, 1916	July 17, 1917	Progressive	Feng Guozhang
3		Feng Guozhang 馮國璋 Féng Guózhāng 1859–1919	July 17, 1917	October 10, 1918	Zhili clique	vacant
4		Xu Shichang 徐世昌 Xú Shìchāng 1855–1939	October 10, 1918	June 2, 1922	Anhui clique	vacant	2
-		acting Zhou Ziqi 周自齊 Zhōu Zìqí 1871–1923	June 2, 1922	June 11, 1922	Communications Clique	vacant
5		Li Yuanhong 黎元洪 Lí Yuánhóng 1864–1928	June 11, 1922	June 13, 1923	Research Clique	vacant
-		acting Gao Lingwei 高凌霨 Gāo Língwèi 1868–1939	June 14, 1923	October 10, 1923	—	vacant
6		Cao Kun 曹錕 Cáo Kūn 1862–1938	October 10, 1923	November 2, 1924	Zhili clique	vacant	3
-		acting Huang Fu 黃郛 Huáng Fú 1883–1936	November 2, 1924	November 24, 1924	—	vacant
-		acting Duan Qirui 段祺瑞 Duàn Qíruì 1865–1936	November 24, 1924	April 20, 1926	Anhui clique	vacant
-		acting Hu Weide 胡惟德 Hú Wéidé 1863–1933	April 20, 1926	May 13, 1926	—	vacant
-		acting Yan Huiqing 顏惠慶 Yán Huìqìng 1877–1950	May 13, 1926	June 22, 1926	—	vacant
-		acting Du Xigui 杜錫珪 Dù Xīguī 1875–1933	June 22, 1926	October 1, 1926	Zhili clique	vacant
-		acting Koo Vi-kyuin (V.K. Wellington Koo) 顧維鈞 Gù Wéijūn 1887–1985	October 1, 1926	June 17, 1927	—	vacant
-		acting Zhang Zuolin 張作霖 Zhāng Zuòlín 1875–1928	June 18, 1927	June 2, 1928	Fengtian clique	vacant

Presidents of the Nationalist Government

• period: April 18, 1927 - May 20, 1948

The head of state of the Nationalist Government (國民政府) in this period (political tutelage,  訓政時期) was formally called "Chairman" (主席) but translated as "President of the National Government of the Republic of China".

#	President		Term of Office	Party	Vice President	Term
	Portrait	Name
1		Tan Yankai 譚延闓 Tán Yánkǎi 1880–1930	February 7, 1928 ↓ October 10, 1928	KMT	Post abolished	—
2		Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng 1887–1975	October 10, 1928 ↓ December 15, 1931	KMT	Post abolished	—
3		Lin Sen 林森 Lín Sēn 1868–1943	December 15, 1931 ↓ August 1, 1943	KMT	Post abolished	—
4		Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng 1887–1975	August 1, 1943 ↓ May 20, 1948	KMT	Post abolished	—

Presidents of the Reformed Government & Nanjing regime

• period: March 28, 1938 - August 15, 1945

The Reformed Government and Nanjing regime government was not recognized by many international powers due to the nature of a puppet state under the Empire of Japan. Also consider as illegitimate by the Government of the Republic of China.

#	President		Term of Office	Party	Vice President	Term
	Portrait	Name
-		Liang Hongzhi 梁鴻志 Liáng Hóngzhì 1882-1946	March 28, 1938 ↓ March 20, 1940	Anhui clique	Post abolished	—
1		Wang Jingwei 汪精衛 Wāng Jīngwèi 1883-1944	March 20, 1940 ↓ November 10, 1944	KMT	Zhou Fohai	—
2		Chen Gongbo 陳公博 Chén Gōngbó 1887–1975	November 10, 1944 ↓ August 15, 1945	KMT	Zhou Fohai	—

Presidents after the 1947 Constitution

• period: May 20, 1948 - May 20, 1996

#	President		Took office	Left office	Party	Vice President	Term
	Portrait	Name
1		Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng 1887–1975	May 20, 1948	January 21, 1949	Kuomintang	Li Zongren	1
-		acting Li Zongren 李宗仁 Li Zōngrén 1890–1969	January 21, 1949	March 1, 1950	Kuomintang	vacant
1		Chiang Kai-shek 蔣中正 Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng 1887–1975	March 1, 1950	May 20, 1954	Kuomintang	Li Zongren
			May 20, 1954	May 20, 1960		Chen Cheng	2
			May 20, 1960	May 20, 1966			3
						vacant
			May 20, 1966	May 20, 1972		Yen Chia-kan	4
			May 20, 1972	April 5, 1975			5
2		Yen Chia-kan 嚴家淦 Yán Jiāgàn 1905–1993	April 6, 1975	May 20, 1978	Kuomintang	vacant
3		Chiang Ching-kuo 蔣經國 Jiǎng Jīngguó 1910–1988	May 20, 1978	May 20, 1984	Kuomintang	Hsieh Tung-min	6
			May 20, 1984	January 13, 1988		Lee Teng-hui	7
4		Lee Teng-hui 李登輝 Li Dēnghuī 1923–	January 13, 1988	May 20, 1990	Kuomintang	vacant
			May 20, 1990	May 20, 1996		Li Yuan-zu	8

Presidents after the introduction of Direct Election

• period: May 20, 1996 - present

#	President		Took office	Left office	Party	Vice President	Term
	Portrait	Name
4		Lee Teng-hui 李登輝 Li Dēnghuī 1923–	May 20, 1996	May 20, 2000	Kuomintang	Lien Chan	9
5		Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁 Chén Shuǐbiǎn 1950–	May 20, 2000	May 20, 2004	Democratic Progressive	Lu Hsiu-lien (Annette Lu)	10
			May 20, 2004	May 20, 2008			11
6		Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 Mǎ Yīngjiǔ 1950–	May 20, 2008	Incumbent	Kuomintang	Siew Wan-chang (Vincent Siew)	12
			May 20, 2012	re-elected for 2nd term (Term expires May 20, 2016)		Wu Den-yih	13