List of general secretaries and chairmen of the Communist Party of China

The following is a list of people who held the office of either General Secretary or Chairman of the Communist Party of China.

List of party leaders

Secretary of the Central Bureau (1921–1922)

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)		Term of office		Party Congress
–		Chen Duxiu 陈独秀 (1879–1942)		1 July 1921	July 1922	I (23–31 July 1921) II (16–23 July 1922)
Post abolished

Chairman of the Central Executive Committee (1922–1925)

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)		Term of office		Party Congress
1		Chen Duxiu 陈独秀 (1879–1942)		July 1922	January 1925	II (16–23 July 1922) III (12–20 June 1923) IV (11–22 January 1925)
Post abolished until 1945

General Secretary of the Central Committee (1925–1943)

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)		Term of office		Party Congress
1		Chen Duxiu 陈独秀 (1879–1942)		January 1925	7 August 1927	IV (11–22 January 1925)
2		Xiang Zhongfa 向忠发 (1880–1931)		July 1928	24 June 1931	V (27 April–9 May 1927) VI (18 June–11 July 1928)
3		Bo Gu 博古 (1907–1946)		September 1931	January 1935	Zunyi (15–17 January 1935)
4		Zhang Wentian 张闻天 (1900–1976)		January 1935	20 March 1943	Zunyi (15–17 January 1935)
Post abolished until 1982

Chairman of the Central Politburo (1943–1969)

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)		Term of office		Party Congress
1		Mao Zedong 毛泽东 (1893–1976)		20 March 1943	24 April 1969	VII (23 April–11 June 1945) VIII (15–27 September 1956) Lushan (2 July–16 August 1959) IX (1–24 April 1969)
Post abolished

Chairman of the Central Committee (1945–1982)

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)		Term of office		Party Congress
2		Mao Zedong 毛泽东 (1893–1976)		19 June 1945	9 September 1976	VII (23 April–11 June 1945) VIII (15–27 September 1956) Lushan (2 July–16 August 1959) IX (1–24 April 1969) X (24–28 August 1973)
3		Hua Guofeng 华国锋 (1921–2008)		7 October 1976	28 June 1981	XI (12–18 August 1977) 3rd Plenum (18–22 December 1978)
3		Hu Yaobang 胡耀邦 (1915–1989)		29 June 1981	12 September 1982	XII (1–11 September 1982)
Post abolished

General Secretary of the Central Committee (1982–present)

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)		Term of office		Party Congress
5		Hu Yaobang 胡耀邦 (1915–1989)		12 September 1982	15 January 1987	XII (1–11 September 1982)
6		Zhao Ziyang 赵紫阳 (1919–2005)		16 January 1987	24 June 1989	XIII (25 October–1 November 1987)
7		Jiang Zemin 江泽民 (1926–)		24 June 1989	15 November 2002	XIV (12–18 October 1992) XV (12–18 September 1997) XVI (8–15 November 2002)
8		Hu Jintao 胡锦涛 (1942–)		15 November 2002	15 November 2012	XVI (8–15 November 2002) XVII (15–21 October 2007) XVIII (8–15 November 2012)
9		Xi Jinping 习近平 (1953–)		15 November 2012	Incumbent	XVIII (8–15 November 2012)

See also

• Paramount Leader
• Orders of precedence in the People's Republic of China
• List of leaders of the Kuomintang
• List of leaders of the Democratic Progressive Party
• List of national leaders of the People's Republic of China