Vice President of the People's Republic of China

Vice President of the People's Republic of China
Zeng Liansong · Public domain · source
Post	Vice President
Body	People's Republic of China
Native name	副主席
Insignia	National Emblem of the People's Republic of China.svg
Incumbent	Han Zheng
Incumbentsince	10 March 2023
Residence	Zhongnanhai (Beijing)
Seat	Beijing
Appointer	National People's Congress
Inaugural	Dong Biwu
Formation	1954

Vice President of the People's Republic of China The Vice President of the People's Republic of China is a state-level official in the State Council of the People's Republic of China era apparatus who serves as the deputy to the President of the People's Republic of China. The office has appeared in multiple constitutional iterations involving figures from the Chinese Communist Party, Kuomintang, People's Liberation Army, Central Military Commission, and other institutions. The vice presidency has been held by senior leaders such as Zhou Enlai contemporaries, Li Yuanhong–era predecessors, and modern figures linked to Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping leadership networks.

Role and Function

The vice president performs representational duties at state visits with counterparts like the President of the United States, President of Russia, President of France, King of Saudi Arabia, and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; receives credentials of ambassadors accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China; and may chair state delegations to forums such as the United Nations General Assembly, World Economic Forum, BRICS Summit, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. In practice, functions overlap with roles in the Chinese Communist Party such as membership of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, or the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The vice president may act on behalf of the president under provisions involving the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, NPC Standing Committee, and interactions with the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Constitutional Basis and Powers

The office is established by the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and detailed through NPC procedures linked to the Organic Law of the State Council and resolutions by the National People's Congress. The vice president's formal powers include accepting credentials under instruments defined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and exercising duties delegated by the President of the People's Republic of China; the role is constrained by NPC oversight and by legal frameworks such as the Law on Legislation of the People's Republic of China. Constitutional amendments during the tenures of Zhou Enlai successors, Deng Xiaoping reforms, and the 1982 constitution shaped the office alongside policies from the Fourth Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and directives from the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms.

Selection and Tenure

The vice president is elected by the National People's Congress on nomination by the NPC's presidium; candidates may be proposed by delegations representing provinces like Guangdong, Sichuan, Henan, or institutions such as the People's Liberation Army and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions. Tenure aligns with the NPC five-year term and can be renewed, as seen with officeholders tied to leadership cycles under Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, and Hu Jintao. Removal or replacement involves NPC procedures used previously in cases involving officials like Bo Xilai-era controversies or inquiries handled by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Historical Development

The vice presidency originated in the 1954 constitution with inaugural holder Dong Biwu and evolved through periods including the Cultural Revolution, the post-Mao realignment under Deng Xiaoping, and the 1980s institutional reforms that emphasized collective leadership associated with Zhao Ziyang and Hu Yaobang. The position was vacant during parts of the 1975 and 1978 constitutional arrangements before being restored in 1982. Notable transitional moments include roles assumed during state visits to countries such as United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and Japan; involvement in diplomatic tracks with the Taiwan Strait interlocutors, ASEAN summits, and negotiations relating to treaties like the Sino-British Joint Declaration and agreements on Hong Kong and Macau.

List of Vice Presidents

This office has been held by figures drawn from revolutionary generations and technocratic elites: Dong Biwu, Zhu De, Soong Ching-ling, Ulanhu, Sima Qian-era historians, Li Xiannian, Wang Zhen, Yang Shangkun, Bo Yibo, Wen Jiabao-era contemporaries, Zeng Qinghong, Xi Jinping-era colleagues such as Li Yuanchao, Wang Qishan, Li Zhanshu, and Han Zheng. (This list is selective; comprehensive official rosters are maintained by the National People's Congress archives and state media outlets including Xinhua News Agency and People's Daily).

Notable Officeholders and Influence

Vice presidents who were influential within the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party include Zeng Qinghong and Wang Qishan, who affected personnel and anti-corruption campaigns via the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and relationships with Central Military Commission leaders like Chi Haotian and Guo Boxiong. Officeholders such as Li Xiannian wielded economic influence interacting with ministries including the Ministry of Finance of the People's Republic of China and institutions like the People's Bank of China. Others, including Soong Ching-ling, carried symbolic legitimacy linked to revolutionary heritage tied to figures such as Sun Yat-sen, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Chen Duxiu. Contemporary vice presidents have served as conduits between the Chinese Communist Party leadership and external actors such as the European Union, African Union, UNESCO, World Health Organization, and multinational corporations like Huawei, Tencent, and Alibaba Group.

Category:Politics of the People's Republic of China