General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party

The General Secretary is the Chinese Communist Party’s highest-ranking office, usually held by the country’s paramount leader. The office directs the Party’s central leadership and carries greater practical authority than its formal title alone suggests.

Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party: The Chinese Communist Party’s top decision-making body, composed of its most senior leaders. The General Secretary chairs this committee and usually leads its collective decisions.
Chinese Communist Party: The ruling political party of the People’s Republic of China, founded in 1921. The General Secretary’s office exists within this party and heads its central leadership.
Xi Jinping: A Chinese politician who has served as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party since 2012. His tenure combines the office with extensive personal authority and multiple state and Party roles.
Paramount leader: An informal designation for the person holding the greatest political authority in a state or political system. The General Secretary is generally China’s paramount leader, though the terms are not identical.
Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party: The Chinese Communist Party’s senior leadership body, whose members are selected by the Central Committee. The Standing Committee sits within this larger body, which the General Secretary also leads.
Mao Zedong: A Chinese communist revolutionary who led the People’s Republic of China from its founding until 1976. Mao held the title of Party Chairman, a post later replaced by the General Secretary.
Hu Jintao: A Chinese Communist Party leader who served as General Secretary from 2002 to 2012. His succession from Jiang Zemin exemplified the leadership transition practices of the reform-era Party.
President of the People's Republic of China: The state office representing the People’s Republic of China, with powers defined by the constitution. The General Secretary’s Party authority is distinct from the presidency, which is often held by the same person.
Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party: A Party body of senior officials that formally elects the Politburo and its Standing Committee. Its plenary sessions provide the formal institutional setting for choosing the officeholder.
Hu Yaobang: A Chinese Communist Party leader who served as General Secretary from 1982 to 1987. His tenure began under the restored title that became the Party’s top office.

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