Politics of China
Leadership Leadership generations Succession of power Hu–Wen Administration (2002–2012) Xi–Li Administration (2012–2017) Xi Administration (since 2017) 4th Leadership Core: Xi Jinping 20th 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
Communist Party History Principal leaders Constitution Admission Oath (Article 6) Organization National Party Congress (20th) Central Committee (20th) General Secretary (list) Xi Jinping Central Politburo (20th) Standing Committee (list) Central Secretariat Top-ranked secretary: Cai Qi 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 Office of the General Secretary Chief: Ding Xuexiang Central Guard Bureau Central Guard Unit Office of the Central Secrecy Commission Organization Department Head: Chen Xi Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (20th) Standing Committee (20th) Secretary: Li Xi Provincial committee Standing committee Secretary Deputy secretaries
United front Political Consultative Conference National Committee Chairman: Wang Yang Vice-Chairpersons Top-ranked: Zhang Qingli Secretary-General: Xia Baolong Political parties: CCP (ruling) United Front Work Department Head: Shi Taifeng RCCK CDL CDNCA CAPD CPWDP CZGP JS TDSGL Historical parties: KMT CDSP CYP Federation of Industry and Commerce People's organizations
Ideology Socialism with Chinese characteristics Communism Marxism–Leninism Mao Zedong Thought 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 Two Establishes and Two Safeguards
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
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: Yang Zhenwu Council of Chairpersons Members 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
Presidency President (list): Xi Jinping Presidential spouse: Peng Liyuan Presidential Office Chief: Ding Xuexiang Vice-President: Wang Qishan
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 Secretaries-General State-owned Assets Supervision & Administration Commission most Central Enterprises
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 Politics and Legal Affairs Commission Science and Technology Commission 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
Supervision Corruption in China Anti-corruption campaign since 2012 CCP Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (20th) Secretary: Li Xi Deputy Secretaries Yang Xiaodu Zhang Shengmin Liu Jinguo Yang Xiaochao Li Shulei Xu Lingyi Xiao Pei Chen Xiaojiang Secretary-General: Yang Xiaochao National Supervisory Commission Director: Yang Xiaodu Central Leading Group for Inspection Work Leader: Li Xi Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Central Military Commission Secretary: Zhang Shengmin Independent Commission Against Corruption (Hong Kong) Commission Against Corruption (Macau)
Judiciary Law enforcement CCP Central Politics and Law Commission Secretary: Chen Wenqing 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: Wang Xiaohong Public Security Organs People's Police State Immigration Administration Local public security bureaus Ministry of State Security Minister: Chen Yixin State Security Organs People's Police Ministry of Justice Minister: Fu Zhenghua Judicial Administrative Organs People's Police Bureau of Prison Administration [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 Public Prosecutions Office Secretariat for Security Macau Security Force Unitary Police Services [zh] Public Security Police Judiciary Police [zh]
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: Li Shulei National Press and Publication Administration China Film Administration 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
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: John Lee Hong Kong SAR Government Politics of Hong Kong Independence movement Mainland & HK CEPA Macao Basic Law Chief Executive: Ho Iat-seng Macau SAR Government Politics of Macau Mainland & Macau CEPA
Cross-Strait relations Cross-Strait relations Chinese Civil War One China 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
Foreign relations Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director: Xi Jinping Deputy Director: Li Keqiang Secretary-General: Wang Yi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Qin Gang 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 CCP International Liaison Department 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 Community of Common Destiny China and the United Nations China and the World Trade Organization Shanghai Cooperation Organisation China–Africa relations China–Arab relations China–Caribbean relations China–European Union relations China–Latin America relations China–Pacific relations China–Russia relations China–United States relations
Related topics Administrative divisions Hukou system Family planning Ethnic minorities
China portal Other countries
v t e

A state councillor (Chinese: 国务委员; pinyin: guówù wěiyuán; lit. 'Councillor for National Affairs') is a high-ranking position within the State Council, the executive organ of the Chinese government (comparable to a cabinet). It ranks immediately below the Vice-Premiers and above the ministers of various departments.^[1] Similar to minister without portfolio, the position carries duties unspecified at the time of appointment, although state councillor may also be appointed to head a department. The position was created during the May 1982 restructuring of the State Council, when eleven state councillors were appointed, ten of whom were vice premiers until then.^[2]

Role

In theory, state councillors are to assist the Premier and Vice-Premiers to oversee various government portfolios. They can also represent the State Council (and in turn, Government of China) on foreign visits. State councillors are part of a Standing Meeting of the State Council, alongside the Premier, Vice-Premiers, and the Secretary General of the State Council. The organ holds weekly meetings. In practice, a state councillor's portfolios can be very wide-ranging.

State councillors often accompany China's higher dignitaries on trips abroad - as was the case with State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan from 2003–2008, and Dai Bingguo from 2008–2013. Dai also became China's representative at the 2009 G8 summit in Italy when President Hu Jintao decided to cut short his attendance to return to China in order to deal with the July 2009 Ürümqi riots.

List of state councillors

5th State Council (1982–1983)

The position was created during the May 1982 restructuring of the State Council. Eleven state councillors were appointed, ten of whom were vice premiers until then, the only exception being Zhang Jingfu.^[2]

1. Yu Qiuli
2. Geng Biao
3. Fang Yi
4. Gu Mu
5. Kang Shi'en
6. Chen Muhua
7. Bo Yibo
8. Ji Pengfei
9. Huang Hua
10. Zhang Jingfu
11. Zhang Aiping

6th State Council (1983–1988)

1. Fang Yi
2. Gu Mu
3. Kang Shi'en
4. Chen Muhua
5. Ji Pengfei
6. Zhang Jingfu
7. Zhang Aiping
8. Wu Xueqian
9. Wang Bingqian
10. Song Ping
11. Song Jian

7th State Council (1988–1993)

1. Li Tieying
2. Qin Jiwei
3. Wang Bingqian
4. Song Jian
5. Wang Fang
6. Zou Jiahua
7. Li Guixian
8. Chen Xitong
9. Chen Junsheng
10. Qian Qichen

8th State Council (1993–1998)

1. Li Tieying
2. Chi Haotian
3. Song Jian
4. Li Guixian
5. Chen Junsheng
6. Ismail Amat
7. Peng Peiyun
8. Luo Gan - Secretary-General of the State Council

9th State Council (1998–2003)

1. Chi Haotian
2. Luo Gan
3. Ismail Amat
4. Wu Yi
5. Wang Zhongyu - Secretary-General of the State Council

10th State Council (2003–2008)

Zhou Yongkang	Cao Gangchuan	Tang Jiaxuan	Hua Jianmin	Chen Zhili
Minister of Public Security	Minister of National Defence	foreign affairs	Secretary-General of the State Council	Education, sci-tech, culture, health, sport

11th State Council (2008–2013)

Liu Yandong	Ma Kai	Liang Guanglie	Meng Jianzhu	Dai Bingguo
Education, sci-tech, culture, sport	Secretary-General of the State Council	Minister of National Defence	Minister of Public Security	foreign affairs

12th State Council (2013–2018)

^[3]

Yang Jing (removed from office 24 February 2018)	Chang Wanquan	Yang Jiechi	Guo Shengkun	Wang Yong
Secretary-General of the State Council	Minister of National Defence	Foreign affairs	Minister of Public Security	Disaster response, etc.

13th State Council (2018–2023)

Wei Fenghe	Wang Yong	Wang Yi	Xiao Jie	Zhao Kezhi
Minister of National Defence	Disaster response, etc.	Minister of Foreign Affairs	Secretary-General of the State Council	Minister of Public Security