Editing Politics of China (section)

==Overview==
{{Update section|date=June 2023}}
{{See also|Paramount leader|Party and state leaders|Order of precedence in China|Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party|Generations of Chinese leadership}}

Since the [[Proclamation of the People's Republic of China|founding]] of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the government in [[Beijing]] officially asserts to be the sole legitimate government of all of China, which it defines as including [[mainland China]] and [[Taiwan (island)|Taiwan]]. This has been disputed by the Republic of China (ROC) government since the [[Kuomintang]] (KMT) fled to [[Taipei]] in 1949. The Republic of China has since undergone significant political reforms.

[[Demographics of China|China's population]], [[Geography of China|geographical vastness]], and social diversity frustrate attempts to rule from Beijing. [[Chinese economic reform|Economic reform]] during the 1980s and the devolution of much central government decision making, combined with the strong interest of local CCP officials in enriching themselves, has made it increasingly difficult for the central government to assert its authority.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=He |first1=Qinglian |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/39847047 |title=Xian dai hua de xian jing : dang dai Zhongguo de jing ji she hui wen ti |last2=何清涟 |date=1998 |publisher=Jin ri Zhongguo chu ban she |isbn=7-5072-0908-3 |edition=Di 1 ban |location=Beijing |oclc=39847047 |access-date=25 October 2022 |archive-date=8 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508195411/https://search.worldcat.org/title/39847047 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[president of China]] is the [[List of state representatives of the People's Republic of China|state representative]], serving as the ceremonial [[figurehead]] under the [[National People's Congress]].{{NoteTag|The office of the President is largely powerless, with the powers and functions under the [[Constitution of the People's Republic of China|Constitution of 1982]] comparable to that of a [[constitutional monarch]] or a head of state in a [[parliamentary republic]].<ref>[http://www.kkhsou.in/main/polscience/structure_function.html Krishna Kanta Handique State Open University] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502002431/http://www.kkhsou.in/main/polscience/structure_function.html |date=2 May 2014 }}, EXECUTIVE: THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHINESE REPUBLIC.</ref>{{Better source needed|date=April 2020}}}} In March 2018, the NPC removed the term limits for the presidency.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Shi |first1=Jiangtao |last2=Huang |first2=Kristin |date=26 February 2018 |title=End to term limits at top 'may be start of global backlash for China' |work=[[South China Morning Post]] |url=http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2134791/end-term-limits-top-may-be-start-global-backlash-china |url-status=live |access-date=28 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227155138/http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2134791/end-term-limits-top-may-be-start-global-backlash-china |archive-date=27 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=4 March 2018 |title=Xi Jinping's power play: from president to China's new dictator? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/04/xi-jinping-from-president-to-china-new-dictator |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304005848/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/04/xi-jinping-from-president-to-china-new-dictator |archive-date=4 March 2018 |access-date=4 March 2018 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> As a [[one-party state]], the [[general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party]] holds ultimate power and authority over state and government with no term limit.{{NoteTag|[[Xi Jinping]] was elected President of the People's Republic of China on 14 March 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-15/who-s-who-in-China-s-new-communist-party-leadership-lineup.html |title=Who's Who in China's New Communist Party Leadership Lineup – Bloomberg |website=[[Bloomberg News]] |access-date=24 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024034823/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-15/who-s-who-in-china-s-new-communist-party-leadership-lineup.html |archive-date=24 October 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-20322288|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160729201558/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-20322288|archive-date = 29 July 2016|title = China new leaders: Xi Jinping heads line-up for politburo|work = [[BBC News]]|date = 15 November 2012}}</ref>}} The offices of president, general secretary, and chairman of the [[Central Military Commission (China)|Central Military Commission]] have been held simultaneously by one individual since 1993, granting the [[Paramount leader|individual]] ''[[de jure]]'' and ''de facto'' power over the country.

Central government leaders must, in practice, build consensus for new policies among party members, local and regional leaders, influential non-party members, and the population at large.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Yang |first=Dali L. |title=Remaking the Chinese Leviathan: Market Transition and the Politics of Governance in China |date=2004-07-28 |publisher=[[Stanford University Press]] |isbn=978-1-5036-1944-9 |doi=10.1515/9781503619449|s2cid=248351747 }}</ref> Even as there have been some moves in the direction of democratization as far as the electoral system at least, in that openly contested People's Congress elections are now held at the village and town levels,<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Dickson |first=Bruce J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y5IIEAAAQBAJ |title=The Party and the People: Chinese Politics in the 21st Century |date=2021 |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |isbn=978-0-691-21696-6 |language=en |access-date=4 January 2022 |archive-date=8 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508195431/https://books.google.com/books?id=y5IIEAAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> and that legislatures have shown some assertiveness from time to time, the CCP retains effective control over governmental appointments. This is because the CCP wins by default in most electorates.<ref>[http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/303364/aib775n_1_.pdf "Does China's Land-Tenure System Discourage Structural Adjustment?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304195013/http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/303364/aib775n_1_.pdf|date=4 March 2016}}, Lohmar & Somwaru, USDA Economic Research Service, 1 May 2006. ''Accessed 3 May 2006.''</ref>{{Update inline|date=June 2023}}

The social, cultural, and political as well as economic consequences of market reform have created tensions in Chinese society.<ref>[http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2005/04/david_cowhig_in.php Part I of summary of Zhou Tianyong's 2004 book Reform of the Chinese Political System] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927011522/http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2005/04/david_cowhig_in.php |date=27 September 2007 }} Accessed 7 February 2007.</ref><ref>[http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2005/06/zhou_tianyong_r.php Part II of summary of Zhou Tianyong's 2004 book Reform of the Chinese Political System] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213234740/http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2005/06/zhou_tianyong_r.php |date=13 February 2007 }} Accessed 7 February 2007.</ref>