Premier of the People's Republic of China

Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China 中华人民共和国国务院总理 Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Guówùyuàn Zǒnglǐ
Emblem of the People's Republic of China
Incumbent Li Keqiang since 15 March 2013
Style	Mr Premier (总理) (formal) His Excellency (阁下) (diplomatic)
Type	Head of the State Council
Status	Head of Government
Member of	Party Central Committee Politburo Standing Committee National Security Commission State Council (cabinet) Plenary Meeting of the State Council
Reports to	National People's Congress and its Standing Committee
Residence	Zhongnanhai
Seat	Regent Palace, Zhongnanhai, Beijing
Nominator	President
Appointer	President, according to the decision of the National People's Congress
Term length	Five years, renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of the People's Republic of China
Inaugural holder	Zhou Enlai[note 1]
Formation	27 September 1954 (State Council of the PRC) 1 October 1949 (Government Administration Council of the Central People's Government)
Unofficial names	Prime Minister of China
Deputy	Vice Premier State Councillor
Salary	¥152,121 RMB ($22,000 USD)[1]
Website	State Council

Politics of China
show Leadership Leadership generations Succession of power Hu–Wen Administration (2002–2012) Xi–Li Administration (2012–2017) Xi Core Administration (since 2017) 4th Leadership Core: Xi Jinping 19th Party Politburo: Xi Jinping 13th State Council: Li Keqiang Current state leaders Current provincial leaders National leaders Orders of precedence Paramount leader: Xi Jinping Communist Party leader: Xi Jinping Head of state: Xi Jinping Head of government: Li Keqiang Congress Chairman: Li Zhanshu Conference Chairman: Wang Yang Commander-in-chief: Xi Jinping Politburo Standing Committee members Related systems Democratic centralism Collective leadership Organization Department Elections Civil service
show Communist Party History Principal leaders Constitution Admission Oath (Article 6) Organization National Party Congress (19th) Central Committee (19th) General Secretary (list) Xi Jinping Central Politburo (19th) Standing Committee (list) Central Secretariat Top-ranked secretary: Wang Huning Central Military Commission Chairman: Xi Jinping Vice-Chairman: Xu Qiliang, Zhang Youxia National Security Commission Chairman: Xi Jinping Vice-Chairman: Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu Office Chief: Ding Xuexiang Comprehensively Deepening Reforms Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy Directors: Li Keqiang, Wang Huning, Han Zheng Secretary-General: Wang Huning Financial & Economic Affairs Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy Director: Li Keqiang Office Chief: Liu He General Office Director: Ding Xuexiang  [zh] Chief: Ding Xuexiang Central Security Bureau Central Guard Unit Office of the Central Secrecy Commission Organization Department Head: Chen Xi Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (19th) (19th) Secretary: Zhao Leji Provincial committee Standing committee Secretary Deputy secretaries
show United Front Political Consultative Conference National Committee Chairman: Wang Yang Vice-Chairpersons Top-ranked: Zhang Qingli Secretary-General: Xia Baolong Political parties: CPC (ruling) United Front Work Department Head: You Quan RCCK CDL CDNCA CAPD CPWDP CZGP JS TDSGL Historical parties: KMT CDSP CYP Federation of Industry and Commerce People's organizations
show Ideology Marxism–Leninism Mao Zedong Thought Socialism with Chinese characteristics Deng Xiaoping Theory Primary stage of socialism Four Cardinal Principles Three Represents Scientific Outlook on Development Harmonious Socialist Society Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Chinese Dream Four Comprehensives
show Constitution Law Constitution Previous constitutions 1954 1975 1978 "People's democratic dictatorship" (Article 1) Democratic centralism (Article 3) Constitutional oath of office (Article 27) Protection of human rights (Article 33) Freedom of religion (Article 36) Chinese legal system Civil law tradition Socialist law tradition Laws Legislation Law List of statutes General Principles of the Civil Law (to 2020) Civil Code (From 2021) Marriage Law Labour law Labour Law Labour Contract Law Property law Property Law Intellectual property law Patent law Administrative law Administrative Procedure Law Criminal law Capital punishment Capital offences Death sentence with reprieve
show Legislative National People's Congress (13th) Members Plenary sessions Voting results Presidium Standing Committee Chairman: Li Zhanshu Vice-Chairpersons Top-ranked: Wang Chen Secretary-General:  [zh] Special committees Ethnic Affairs Constitution and Law Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Financial and Economic Affairs Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Foreign Affairs Overseas Chinese Affairs Environment Protection and Resources Conservation Agriculture and Rural Affairs Social Development Affairs Legislation Law Elections
show Presidency President (list): Xi Jinping Presidential spouse: Peng Liyuan  [zh] Chief: Ding Xuexiang Vice-President: Wang Qishan
hide Executive State Council (Central People's Government) Li Keqiang Cabinet II Premier (list): Li Keqiang Vice-Premiers (list) Han Zheng Sun Chunlan Hu Chunhua Liu He State Councilors Wei Fenghe Wang Yong Wang Yi Xiao Jie Zhao Kezhi Secretary-General: Xiao Jie Cabinet-level departments National Development & Reform Commission Central bank National Audit Office General Office Secretary-General Deputy Secretary-Generals State-owned Assets Supervision & Administration Commission most Central Enterprises
show Military Central Military Commission (CMC) Chairman (supreme commander): Xi Jinping Vice-Chairman: Xu Qiliang Zhang Youxia Members: Wei Fenghe Li Zuocheng Miao Hua Zhang Shengmin Departments: General Office Director: Zhong Shaojun Joint Staff Dept. Chief: Li Zuocheng Political Work Dept. Director: Miao Hua Logistic Support Dept. Equipment Development Dept. Training and Administration Dept. National Defense Mobilization Dept. Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary: Zhang Shengmin Strategic Planning Office Reform & Organizational Structure Office Int'l Military Cooperation Office Audit Office Offices Administration Agency National armed forces: People's Liberation Army Theater commands People's Armed Police China Coast Guard Militia State Council National Defense Mobilization Commission Chairman: Li Keqiang Ministry of National Defense Minister: Wei Fenghe Ministry of Veterans Affairs State Administration for Sci., Tech. & Industry for National Defense Military history Armed conflicts Military modernization Military reform since 2015 CMC Leading Group for Military Reform Leader: Xi Jinping
show Supervision Corruption in China Anti-corruption campaign since 2012 CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (19th) Secretary: Zhao Leji Deputy Secretaries Yang Xiaodu Zhang Shengmin Liu Jinguo Yang Xiaochao Li Shulei Xu Lingyi Secretary-General: Yang Xiaochao National Supervisory Commission Director: Yang Xiaodu Central Leading Group for Inspection Work Leader: Zhao Leji Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Central Military Commission Secretary: Zhang Shengmin Independent Commission Against Corruption (Hong Kong) Commission Against Corruption (Macau)
show Judiciary Law enforcement CPC Central Politics and Law Commission Secretary: Guo Shengkun Supreme People's Court President: Zhou Qiang People's Courts Judicial Police Supreme People's Procuratorate Prosecutor General: Zhang Jun People's Procuratorates Judicial Police State Council Ministry of Public Security Minister: Zhao Kezhi (State Councilor) Public Security Organs People's Police State Immigration Administration Local public security bureaus Ministry of State Security Minister: Chen Wenqing State Security Organs People's Police Ministry of Justice Minister: Fu Zhenghua Judicial Administrative Organs People's Police  [zh] Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR Urban Management (chengguan) Judiciary of Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Department of Justice Prosecutions Division Law enforcement in Hong Kong Security Bureau Regular Disciplined Services Hong Kong Police Force Judiciary of Macau Court of Final Appeal Secretariat for Security Macau Security Force  [zh] Public Security Police  [zh]
show Propaganda Central Leading Group for Propaganda and Ideology Leader: Wang Huning Central Guidance Commission on Building Spiritual Civilization Director: Wang Huning Deputy Director: Huang Kunming Central Propaganda Department Head: Huang Kunming National Press and Publication Administration China Film Administration [zh] State Council Information Office China Daily Ministry of Culture and Tourism National Radio and Television Administration China Media Group China Central Television China Global Television Network China National Radio China Radio International Xinhua News Agency Reference News China News Service People's Daily Global Times China Today Censorship in China Radio jamming Overseas censorship of Chinese issues Media of China Internal media Publishing industry in China Internet in China Internet censorship Great Firewall Great Cannon Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy director: Li Keqiang Cyberspace Administration of China Director: Xu Lin
show Hong Kong Macau Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Leader: Han Zheng HK & Macau Affairs Office Director: Zhang Xiaoming Liaison Office in Hong Kong Liaison Office in Macau One country, two systems Special administrative regions Hong Kong Basic Law Chief Executive: Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor Hong Kong SAR Government Politics of Hong Kong Independence movement Mainland & HK CEPA Macao Basic Law Chief Executive: Chui Sai On Macau SAR Government Politics of Macau Mainland & Macau CEPA
show Cross-Strait relations Cross-Strait relations Chinese Civil War One-China policy Political status of Taiwan Republic of China on Taiwan Taiwan Area "Taiwan Province", PRC Taiwan independence movement Anti-Secession Law Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement Chinese unification Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs Leader: Xi Jinping Deputy Leader: Wang Yang Taiwan Affairs Office Director: Zhang Zhijun Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits
show Foreign relations Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy Director: Li Keqiang Secretary-General: Yang Jiechi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Wang Yi (State Councilor) Spokespersons Diplomatic missions Diplomatic missions of China / in China Foreign aid from China / to China International Development Cooperation Agency Ministry of Commerce Exim Bank of China China Development Bank Belt and Road Initiative Silk Road Fund Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank BRICS New Development Bank Ministry of National Defense International Military Cooperation Office NPC Foreign Affairs Committee CPC International Liaison Department State Council Information Office State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs Overseas Chinese Affairs Office Chinese nationality law Chinese passports (Hong Kong; Macau) Visa requirements for Chinese citizens (Hong Kong, Macau) Visa policy of China (Hong Kong; Macau) National Immigration Administration Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence Panda diplomacy Beijing Consensus Sino-British Joint Declaration One country, two systems China and the United Nations China and the World Trade Organization Shanghai Cooperation Organisation China–Africa relations China–Caribbean relations China–European Union relations China–Pacific relations China–Russia relations China–United States relations
show Related topics Administrative divisions Hukou system Family planning Ethnic minorities Communism
China portal Other countries
v t

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (July 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

The premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, sometimes also referred to informally as the "prime minister", is the head of the central government of China and is the holder of the highest rank in the Civil Service. This position replaced the role of premier of the Government Administration Council of the Central People's Government (Chinese: 中央人民政府政务院总理), which existed from 1949 to 1954.

The premier is formally approved by the National People's Congress upon the nomination of the president. In practice, the candidate is chosen within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) through the same process that determines the composition of the CCP Central Politburo.^{[citation needed]} Both the President and the Premier are selected once every five years. The premier is limited to two terms, but the president is not. The premier has always been a member of the powerful CCP Politburo Standing Committee.

The current premier is Li Keqiang, who took office on 15 March 2013. He succeeded Wen Jiabao.

Powers and duties[]

The premier is the highest administrative position in the Government of China. The premier is responsible for organizing and administering the Chinese civil bureaucracy. For example, the premier is tasked with planning and implementing national economic, social development and the state budget.^[2] This includes overseeing the various ministries, departments, commissions and statutory agencies and announcing their candidacies to the National People's Congress for vice-premiers, state councillors and ministerial offices. The premier's role and responsibilities are codified into the constitution unlike a prime minister's from the Westminster system as by convention or traditions.^[2]

The premier does not have command authority over the People's Liberation Army, but is the head of the National Defense Mobilization Commission of China and deputy head of the National Security Commission which are departments of the armed forces. Since the 1980s, there has been a division of responsibilities between the premier and the general secretary of the Communist Party wherein the premier is responsible for the technical details of implementing government policy while the general secretary gathers the political support necessary for government policy.

In 1989, then Premier Li Peng, in cooperation with the then Central Military Commission chairman Deng Xiaoping, was able to use the office of the Premier to order the military crackdown of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.^{[citation needed]}

The premier has been supported by four vice-premiers since Deng Xiaoping's reform in 1983. The first-ranked vice premier will act in the premier's capacity in their absence.

List of premiers[]

• 

  1st — Zhou Enlai
  (served: 1949–1976)

• 

  2nd — Hua Guofeng
  (served: 1976–1980)

• 

  3rd — Zhao Ziyang
  (served: 1980–1987)

• 

  4th — Li Peng
  (served: 1987–1998)

• 

  5th — Zhu Rongji
  (served: 1998–2003)

• 

  6th — Wen Jiabao
  (served: 2003–2013)

• 

  7th — Li Keqiang
  (served: 2013–present)

Living former premiers[]

As of September 2021, there are two living former premiers:

See also[]

• List of premiers of China
• List of premiers of the People's Republic of China
• List of leaders of the People's Republic of China
• Vice premier of the People's Republic of China
• President of the People's Republic of China
• Prime minister of China (disambiguation)
• List of Chinese leaders
• Paramount leader
• Political position ranking of PRC

Notes[]

References[]

External links[]

• Official PRC Government Website
• Corpus of Political Speeches Free access to the Prime Minister’s work report and political speeches from other regions, developed by the Hong Kong Baptist University Library.