Chairmen of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
Encyclopedia
The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress is the chairman and/or speaker
of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
of the People's Republic of China
, which is considered China's top legislative body. The current Chairman is Wu Bangguo
.
The position has been ranked second in China's political hierarchy since Li Peng
was barred from seeking a third term as Premier in 1998. In the political order of precedence
, the Chair ranks below the CPC General Secretary
and President
, but above the Premier
. The ranking of this position is according to the occupant's qualifications, however, is not necessarily reflective of its actual power, which varies depending on the officeholder.
. As stipulated in Article 84 of the Constitution, should both the President
and Vice-President become incapacitated, and the National People's Congress is unable to elect a timely replacement, the Chairman of the NPC will act as President.
Theoretically, during the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989
, the NPC Chair at the time, Wan Li
, had the power to call an emergency session of the NPC to resolve the issue constitutionally. However, Wan's freedom of movement was restricted, and ultimately was powerless in the situation.
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress is a committee of about 150 members of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China , which is convened between plenary sessions of the NPC. It has the constitutional authority to modify legislation within limits set by...
of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, which is considered China's top legislative body. The current Chairman is Wu Bangguo
Wu Bangguo
Wu Bangguo is a high-ranking politician in the People's Republic of China. He is currently Chairman and Party secretary of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, a position that makes him China's chief legislator...
.
The position has been ranked second in China's political hierarchy since Li Peng
Li Peng
Li Peng served as the fourth Premier of the People's Republic of China, between 1987 and 1998, and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, from 1998 to 2003. For much of the 1990s Li was ranked second in the Communist Party of China ...
was barred from seeking a third term as Premier in 1998. In the political order of precedence
Political position ranking of the People's Republic of China
The political ranking of the People's Republic of China is the ranking of political leaders in China, by order of presumed political power. Although there is no formally published ranking, there is usually an established convention and protocol, and the relative positions of Chinese political...
, the Chair ranks below the CPC General Secretary
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China
The General Secretary of the Communist Party of China , officially General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is the highest ranking official within the Communist Party of China, a standing member of the Politburo and head of the Secretariat...
and President
President of the People's Republic of China
The President of the People's Republic of China is a ceremonial office and a part of State organs under the National People's Congress and it is the head of state of the People's Republic of China . The office was created by the 1982 Constitution...
, but above the Premier
Premier of the People's Republic of China
The Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China , sometimes also referred to as the "Prime Minister" informally, is the Leader of the State Council of the People's Republic of China , who is the head of government and holds the highest-ranking of the Civil service of the...
. The ranking of this position is according to the occupant's qualifications, however, is not necessarily reflective of its actual power, which varies depending on the officeholder.
Powers
The position holds reserve constitutional powers under the 1978 revision of the Constitution of the People's Republic of ChinaConstitution of the People's Republic of China
The Constitution of the People's Republic of China is the highest law within the People's Republic of China. The current version was adopted by the 5th National People's Congress on December 4, 1982 with further revisions in 1988, 1993, 1999, and 2004. Three previous state constitutions—those of...
. As stipulated in Article 84 of the Constitution, should both the President
President of the People's Republic of China
The President of the People's Republic of China is a ceremonial office and a part of State organs under the National People's Congress and it is the head of state of the People's Republic of China . The office was created by the 1982 Constitution...
and Vice-President become incapacitated, and the National People's Congress is unable to elect a timely replacement, the Chairman of the NPC will act as President.
Theoretically, during the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
, the NPC Chair at the time, Wan Li
Wan Li
Wan Li was during a long administrative career in the People's Republic of China Vice Premier, National People's Congress Chairman, and a member of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, its Secretariat and its Politburo...
, had the power to call an emergency session of the NPC to resolve the issue constitutionally. However, Wan's freedom of movement was restricted, and ultimately was powerless in the situation.
Chairmen of the NPC Standing Committee
Multiple terms in office, consecutive or otherwise, are listed and counted in the first column counts individuals and the second column (term number).| I# | T# | Chairman | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Liu Shaoqi Liu Shaoqi Liu Shaoqi was a Chinese revolutionary, statesman, and theorist. He was Chairman of the People's Republic of China, China's head of state, from 27 April 1959 to 31 October 1968, during which he implemented policies of economic reconstruction in China... 刘少奇（劉少奇）  |
September 15, 1954 | April 28, 1959 |
| 2 | 2 | Zhu De Zhu De Zhu De was a Chinese militarist, politician, revolutionary, and one of the pioneers of the Chinese Communist Party. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in 1955 Zhu became one of the Ten Marshals of the People's Liberation Army, of which he is regarded as the founder.-Early... 朱德 |
April 28, 1959 | January 4, 1965 |
| 3 | January 4, 1965 | January 17, 1975 | ||
| 4 | January 17, 1975 | July 6, 1976 | ||
| — | Song Qingling Soong Ching-ling Soong Ching-ling , also known as Madame Sun Yat-sen, was one of the three Soong sisters—who, along with their husbands, were amongst China's most significant political figures of the early 20th century. She was the Vice Chairman of the People's Republic of China... 宋庆龄（宋慶齡） .jpg) |
July 6, 1976 (acting) |
March 5, 1978 | |
| 3 | 5 | Ye Jianying Ye Jianying Ye Jianying was a Chinese communist general and the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress from 1978 to 1983.-Biography:... 叶剑英（葉劍英） |
March 5, 1978 | June 18, 1983 |
| 4 | 6 | Peng Zhen Peng Zhen Peng Zhen was a leading member of the Communist Party of China.-Biography:Born in Houma , Peng was originally named Fu Maogong.... 彭真 |
June 18, 1983 | April 13, 1988 |
| 5 | 7 | Wan Li Wan Li Wan Li was during a long administrative career in the People's Republic of China Vice Premier, National People's Congress Chairman, and a member of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, its Secretariat and its Politburo... 万里（萬里）  |
April 13, 1988 | March 27, 1993 |
| 6 | 8 | Qiao Shi Qiao Shi Qiao Shi is a politician in the People's Republic of China. He was born as Jiang Zhitong , to parents of Dinghai, Zhejiang province ancestry. He is said to be distantly related to Chiang Kai-shek's family and this was the cause for the persecution he suffered during the Cultural Revolution... 乔石（喬石） |
March 27, 1993 | March 15, 1998 |
| 7 | 9 | Li Peng Li Peng Li Peng served as the fourth Premier of the People's Republic of China, between 1987 and 1998, and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, from 1998 to 2003. For much of the 1990s Li was ranked second in the Communist Party of China ... 李鹏（李鵬） |
March 15, 1998 | March 15, 2003 |
| 8 | 10 | Wu Bangguo Wu Bangguo Wu Bangguo is a high-ranking politician in the People's Republic of China. He is currently Chairman and Party secretary of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, a position that makes him China's chief legislator... 吴邦国（吳邦國） |
March 15, 2003 | March 15, 2008 |
| 11 | March 15, 2008 | Incumbent |