Vice President of the People's Republic of China

Vice President of the People's Republic of China 中华人民共和国副主席
Emblem of the People's Republic of China
Incumbent Li Yuanchao since 14 March 2013
Residence	Zhongnanhai
Appointer	the National People's Congress
Term length	five years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holder	Zhu De
Formation	1954–1975 June 18, 1983
Website	Presidency

The Vice President of the People's Republic of China (simplified Chinese: 中华人民共和国副主席; traditional Chinese: 中華人民共和國副主席; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Fù Zhǔxí), formerly called Vice Chairman of the People's Republic of China from 1954 to 1975, or abbreviated Guójiā Fù Zhǔxí 国家副主席, literally State Vice-chairman) is a senior position in the government of the People's Republic of China.

Selection and Powers

The office was created by the 1982 constitution. Formally, the Vice President is elected by the National People's Congress in accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution. In practice, this election falls into the category of 'single-candidate' elections. The candidate is recommended by the Presidium of the National People's Congress, which also theoretically has the power to recall the Vice President.

By law, the Vice President must be a Chinese citizen of 45 years of age or older. He or she cannot serve for over two terms, a term being the equivalent of one session of the NPC, which is five years.

The Vice President's duties include assisting the President, and replacing him should he resign or die in office. In reality the position of the Vice-President is basically ceremonial such as the President, and only until Hu Jintao to Xi Jinping Vice-Presidents have been members of the CPC Politburo Standing Committee and the Central Secretariat, China's main decision makers. Currently, Vice-President Li Yuanchao is the member of the CPC Central Politburo, but not the Standing Committee.

List of vice presidents

Main article: List of Vice Presidents of the People's Republic of China

Vice Presidents

• 
  1st — Zhu De
  (1954–1959)
• 
  2nd — Song Qingling
  (1959–1972)
• 
  2nd — Dong Biwu
  (1959–1975)
• 
  3rd — Ulanhu
  (1983–1988)
• 
  4th — Wang Zhen
  (1988–1993)
• 5th — Rong Yiren (1993–1998)
  5th — Rong Yiren
  (1993–1998)
• 
  6th — Hu Jintao
  (1998–2003)
• 7th — Zeng Qinghong (2003–2008)
  7th — Zeng Qinghong
  (2003–2008)
• 
  8th — Xi Jinping
  (2008–2013)
• 
  9th — Li Yuanchao
  (since 2013)

Vice Chairpersons of Central People's Government (1949-1954)

• 
  Zhu De
• 
  Liu Shaoqi
• 
  Song Qingling
• 
  Li Jishen
• 
  Zhang Lan
• 
  Gao Gang

See also

• President of the People's Republic of China
• Political position ranking of the People's Republic of China
• Paramount leader
• List of current Vice Presidents

External links

• The President's Official Website