List of Presidents of the Republic of China
Encyclopedia
- To avoid confusion, all the names on this list follow the Eastern order convention (family name first, given name second) for consistency.
President of the Republic of China
The President of the Republic of China is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Republic of China . The Republic of China was founded on January 1, 1912, to govern all of China...
(1912–present). The Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
is now commonly known as "Taiwan" due to the island of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
currently comprising almost all of its de-facto territory. The Republic of China's President is called 總統 (zǒngtǒng), and from 1912–1928, 大總統 (dàzǒngtǒng).
The list
| # | President | Took office | Left office | Party | Vice President | Term | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Portrait | |||||||
| Provisional Government Provisional Government of the Republic of China (1912) The Provisional Government of the Republic of China was a provisional government established during the Xinhai Revolution by the revolutionaries in 1912... (January 1, 1912 - October 10, 1913) |
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| 1 | Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China... 孫文 (孙文) Sūn Wén 1866–1925 |
January 1, 1912 | April 1, 1912 | Tongmenghui Tongmenghui The Tongmenghui, also known as the Chinese United League, United League, Chinese Revolutionary Alliance, Chinese Alliance and United Allegiance Society, was a secret society and underground resistance movement formed when merging many Chinese revolutionary groups together by Sun Yat-sen, Song... |
Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong was a Chinese general and political figure during the Qing dynasty and the republican era. He was twice president of the Republic of China.- Early history :... |
— | ||
| 2 | Yuan Shikai Yuan Shikai Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived... 袁世凱 (袁世凯) Yuán Shìkǎi 1859–1915 |
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March 10, 1912 | October 10, 1913 | Beiyang clique | Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong was a Chinese general and political figure during the Qing dynasty and the republican era. He was twice president of the Republic of China.- Early history :... |
— | |
| Beiyang Government Beiyang Government The Beiyang government or warlord government collectively refers to a series of military regimes that ruled from Beijing from 1912 to 1928 at Zhongnanhai. It was internationally recognized as the legitimate Government of the Republic of China. The name comes from the Beiyang Army which dominated... (October 10, 1913 - June 2, 1928) |
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| 1 | Yuan Shikai Yuan Shikai Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived... 袁世凱 (袁世凯) Yuán Shìkǎi 1859–1915 |
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October 10, 1913 | June 6, 1916 | Beiyang clique | Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong was a Chinese general and political figure during the Qing dynasty and the republican era. He was twice president of the Republic of China.- Early history :... |
1 | |
| 2 | Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong was a Chinese general and political figure during the Qing dynasty and the republican era. He was twice president of the Republic of China.- Early history :... 黎元洪 Lí Yuánhóng 1864–1928 |
June 7, 1916 | July 17, 1917 | Progressive Progressive Party (China) - Origins :Chinese constitutionalism was a movement that originated after the First Sino-Japanese War . A young group of intellectuals in China led by Kang Youwei argued that China's defeat was due to its lack of modern institutions and legal framework which the Self-Strengthening Movement had... |
Feng Guozhang Feng Guozhang Féng Guózhāng, was a key Beiyang Army general and politician in early republican China. He held the office of Vice-President and then President of the Republic of China... |
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| 3 | Feng Guozhang Feng Guozhang Féng Guózhāng, was a key Beiyang Army general and politician in early republican China. He held the office of Vice-President and then President of the Republic of China... 馮國璋 (冯国璋) Féng Guózhāng 1859–1919 |
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July 17, 1917 | October 10, 1918 | Zhili clique | vacant | ||
| 4 | Xu Shichang 徐世昌 Xú Shìchāng 1855–1939 |
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October 10, 1918 | June 2, 1922 | Anhui clique Anhui clique The Anhui clique was one of several mutually hostile cliques or factions that split from the Beiyang Clique in the Republic of China's Warlord era. It was named after Anhui province because several of its generals including its founder, Duan Qirui, was born in Anhui... |
vacant | 2 | |
| - | Zhou Ziqi Zhou Ziqi Zhōu Zìqí 周自齊 , was a Chinese politician in the late Qing dynasty and early republican period. He was a member of the Communications Clique.-Biography:... 周自齊 Zhōu Zìqí 1871–1923 (acting) |
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June 2, 1922 | June 11, 1922 | Communications Clique Communications Clique The Communications Clique was a powerful interest group of politicians, bureaucrats, technocrats, businessmen, engineers, and labour unionists in China's Beiyang government . It is also known as the Cantonese Clique because many of its leaders hail from Guangdong... |
vacant | ||
| 5 | Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong was a Chinese general and political figure during the Qing dynasty and the republican era. He was twice president of the Republic of China.- Early history :... 黎元洪 Lí Yuánhóng 1864–1928 |
June 11, 1922 | June 13, 1923 | Research Clique | vacant | |||
| - | Gao Lingwei Gao Lingwei Gāo Língwèi was a Chinese politician during the late Qing dynasty and the Republic of China.A Tianjin native, he was appointed to Hubei where he held many offices relating to finance and education including a stint as superintendent of the provincial military academy... 高凌霨 Gāo Língwèi 1868–1939 (acting) |
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June 14, 1923 | October 10, 1923 | — | vacant | ||
| 6 | Cao Kun Cao Kun |-... 曹錕 (曹锟) Cáo Kūn 1862–1938 |
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October 10, 1923 | November 2, 1924 | Zhili clique | vacant | 3 | |
| - | Huang Fu Huang Fu Huáng Fú was a general and politician in early republican China. He was born in Hangzhou.-Biography:Huang studied at Zhejiang Military College and Qiushi Academy , later went to Japan. Huang came in contact with the Revolutionary Alliance while studying in a military academy in the Empire of Japan... 黃郛 Huáng Fú 1883–1936 (acting) |
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November 2, 1924 | November 24, 1924 | — | vacant | ||
| - | Duan Qirui Duan Qirui Duan Qirui was a Chinese warlord and politician, commander in the Beiyang Army, and the Provisional Chief Executive of Republic of China from November 24, 1924 to April 20, 1926. He was arguably the most powerful man in China from 1916 to 1920.- Early life :Born in Hefei as Duan Qirui , his... 段祺瑞 Duàn Qíruì 1865–1936 (acting) |
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November 24, 1924 | April 20, 1926 | Anhui clique Anhui clique The Anhui clique was one of several mutually hostile cliques or factions that split from the Beiyang Clique in the Republic of China's Warlord era. It was named after Anhui province because several of its generals including its founder, Duan Qirui, was born in Anhui... |
vacant | ||
| - | Hu Weide Hu Weide rightHú Wéidé , , was a Chinese politician and diplomat during the Qing dynasty and the Republic of China.-Biography:... 胡惟德 Hú Wéidé 1863–1933 (acting) |
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April 20, 1926 | May 13, 1926 | — | vacant | ||
| - | Yan Huiqing Yan Huiqing Yan Huiqing Yan Huiqing Yan Huiqing (Wade-Giles: Yen Hui-Ching, (also known as W.W. Yen) 顏惠慶 (1877-1950) was a Chinese writer, politician, and diplomat from Shanghai.-Biography:... 顏惠慶 Yán Huìqìng 1877–1950 (acting) |
May 13, 1926 | June 22, 1926 | — | vacant | |||
| - | Du Xigui Du Xigui Du Xigui was a Chinese admiral during the warlord era.-Biography:Born in Fuzhou, he graduated from Nanjing's naval college in 1902. In 1922, he was made chief of the navy and helped the Zhili clique defeat Zhang Zuolin. In the spring of 1923, Shanghai's fleet rebelled and Du took responsibility... 杜錫珪 Dù Xīguī 1875–1933 (acting) |
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June 22, 1926 | October 1, 1926 | Zhili clique | vacant | ||
| - | Koo Vi-kyuin (V.K. Wellington Koo) 顧維鈞 (顾维钧) Gù Wéijūn 1887–1985 (acting) |
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October 1, 1926 | June 17, 1927 | — | vacant | ||
| - | Zhang Zuolin Zhang Zuolin Zhang Zuolin was the warlord of Manchuria from 1916 to 1928 . He successfully invaded China proper in October 1924 in the Second Zhili-Fengtian War. He gained control of Peking, including China's internationally recognized government, in April 1926... 張作霖 Zhāng Zuòlín 1875–1928 (acting) |
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June 18, 1927 | June 2, 1928 | Fengtian clique Fengtian clique The Fengtian Clique was one of several mutually hostile cliques or factions that split from the Beiyang Clique in the Republic of China's warlord era. It was named for Fengtian Province and led by Zhang Zuolin... |
vacant | ||
| Post abolished: June 2, 1928 - October 10, 1928 Nationalist Government (October 10, 1928 - May 20, 1948) | ||||||||
| - | Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin.... 蔣中正 (蒋中正) Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng 1887–1975 |
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October 10, 1928 | December 15, 1931 | Kuomintang Kuomintang The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused... |
— | — | |
| - | Lin Sen Lin Sen Lin Sen , courtesy name Zichao , sobriquet Changren , was President of the National Government of the Republic of China from 1931 until his death.-Early life:... 林森 Lín Sēn 1868–1943 |
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December 15, 1931 | August 1, 1943 | Kuomintang Kuomintang The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused... |
— | — | |
| - | Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin.... 蔣中正 (蒋中正) Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng 1887–1975 |
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August 1, 1943 | May 20, 1948 | Kuomintang Kuomintang The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused... |
— | — | |
| After 1947 Constitution Constitution of the Republic of China The Constitution of the Republic of China is the fundamental law of the Republic of China . Drafted by the Kuomintang as part of its third stage of national development , it established a centralized Republic with five branches of government... (May 20, 1948 - May 20, 1996) |
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| 1 | Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin.... 蔣中正 (蒋中正) Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng 1887–1975 |
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May 20, 1948 | January 21, 1949 | Kuomintang Kuomintang The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused... |
Li Zongren Li Zongren Li Zongren or Li Tsung-jen , courtesy name Delin , was a prominent Guangxi warlord and Kuomintang military commander during the Northern Expedition, Second Sino-Japanese War and Chinese Civil War... |
1 | |
| Li Zongren Li Zongren Li Zongren or Li Tsung-jen , courtesy name Delin , was a prominent Guangxi warlord and Kuomintang military commander during the Northern Expedition, Second Sino-Japanese War and Chinese Civil War... 李宗仁 Li Zōngrén 1890–1969 (acting) |
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January 21, 1949 | March 1, 1950 | Kuomintang Kuomintang The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused... |
vacant | |||
| Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin.... 蔣中正 (蒋中正) Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng 1887–1975 |
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March 1, 1950 | May 20, 1954 | Kuomintang Kuomintang The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused... |
Li Zongren Li Zongren Li Zongren or Li Tsung-jen , courtesy name Delin , was a prominent Guangxi warlord and Kuomintang military commander during the Northern Expedition, Second Sino-Japanese War and Chinese Civil War... |
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| May 20, 1954 | May 20, 1960 | Chen Cheng Chen Cheng Chen Cheng , was a Chinese political and military leader, and one of the main National Revolutionary Army commanders during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. After moving to Taiwan at the end of the Civil War, he served as the Governor of Taiwan Province, Vice President and... |
2 | |||||
| May 20, 1960 | May 20, 1966 | 3 | ||||||
| vacant | ||||||||
| May 20, 1966 | May 20, 1972 | Yen Chia-kan Yen Chia-kan Yen Chia-kan , or Yen Chia-jin , better known as C. K. Yen, succeeded Chiang Kai-shek as President of the Republic of China upon Chiang's death on April 5, 1975. He served out the remainder of Chiang's term until May 20, 1978.-Biography:C. K... |
4 | |||||
| May 20, 1972 | April 5, 1975 | 5 | ||||||
| 2 | Yen Chia-kan Yen Chia-kan Yen Chia-kan , or Yen Chia-jin , better known as C. K. Yen, succeeded Chiang Kai-shek as President of the Republic of China upon Chiang's death on April 5, 1975. He served out the remainder of Chiang's term until May 20, 1978.-Biography:C. K... 嚴家淦 (严家淦) Yán Jiāgàn 1905–1993 |
April 6, 1975 | May 20, 1978 | Kuomintang Kuomintang The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused... |
vacant | |||
| 3 | Chiang Ching-kuo Chiang Ching-kuo Chiang Ching-kuo , Kuomintang politician and leader, was the son of President Chiang Kai-shek and held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China... 蔣經國 (蒋经国) Jiǎng Jīngguó 1910–1988 |
May 20, 1978 | May 20, 1984 | Kuomintang Kuomintang The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused... |
Hsieh Tung-min | 6 | ||
| May 20, 1984 | January 13, 1988 | Lee Teng-hui Lee Teng-hui Lee Teng-hui is a politician of the Republic of China . He was the 7th, 8th, and 9th-term President of the Republic of China and Chairman of the Kuomintang from 1988 to 2000. He presided over major advancements in democratic reforms including his own re-election which marked the first direct... |
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| 4 | Lee Teng-hui Lee Teng-hui Lee Teng-hui is a politician of the Republic of China . He was the 7th, 8th, and 9th-term President of the Republic of China and Chairman of the Kuomintang from 1988 to 2000. He presided over major advancements in democratic reforms including his own re-election which marked the first direct... 李登輝 (李登辉) Li Dēnghuī 1923– |
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January 13, 1988 | May 20, 1990 | Kuomintang Kuomintang The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused... |
vacant | ||
| May 20, 1990 | May 20, 1996 | Li Yuan-zu | 8 | |||||
| Direct Democratic Election (May 20, 1996–present) | ||||||||
| May 20, 1996 | May 20, 2000 | Kuomintang Kuomintang The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused... |
Lien Chan Lien Chan Lien Chan is a politician in Taiwan. He was Premier of the Republic of China from 1993 to 1997, Vice President of the Republic of China from 1996 to 2000, and was the Chairman of the Kuomintang from 2000 to 2005... |
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| 5 | Chen Shui-bian Chen Shui-bian Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan... 陳水扁 (陈水扁) Chén Shuǐbiǎn 1950– |
May 20, 2000 | May 20, 2004 | Democratic Progressive Democratic Progressive Party The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,... |
Lu Hsiu-lien (Annette Lu) Annette Lu Annette Lu Hsiu-lien , was the Vice President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008, under Chen Shui-bian. She announced her intentions to run for President of Taiwan on March 6, 2007, but withdrew in order to support DPP presidential nominee, Frank Hsieh... |
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| May 20, 2004 | May 20, 2008 | 11 | ||||||
| 6 | Ma Ying-jeou Ma Ying-jeou Ma Ying-jeou is the 12th term and current President of the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, and the Chairman of the Kuomintang Party, also known as the Chinese Nationalist Party. He formerly served as Justice Minister from 1993 to 1996, Mayor of Taipei from 1998 to 2006, and Chairman... 馬英九 (马英九) Mǎ Yīngjiǔ 1950– |
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May 20, 2008 | Incumbent Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... (Term expires May 20, 2012) |
Kuomintang Kuomintang The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused... |
Siew Wan-chang (Vincent Siew) Vincent Siew Vincent C. Siew Wan-chang is the incumbent Vice President of the Republic of China. He was the first Taiwanese-born Premier of the Republic of China and former vice-chairman of the Kuomintang .-Biography:... |
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