Succession of power in the People's Republic of China

The succession of power in the People's Republic of China (PRC) takes place in the context of a single party system. Despite the guarantee of universal franchise in the constitution, the appointment of the Paramount Leader lies largely in the hands of his predecessor and the powerful factions that control the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The appointment of the leader of the world’s most populous country occurs after two five year terms in accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China.

It is generally accepted that the Paramount leader of China holds these three official titles:

In the past it was possible for the Paramount Leader to wield absolute power without holding any official office. This was the case with Deng Xiaoping who was the undisputed leader from 1978 to 1992 without holding any official offices. Since his retirement, power has become more structured with the leader holding all three of the previously mentioned offices.

The concept of Paramount Leader was instituted during the era of Mao Zedong. The position was further established under Deng Xiaoping, however the term Paramount Leader has not been officially attributed to any other leaders. Since the retirement of Deng Xiaoping in 1992, political power in China has been held collectively by the members of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China. The General Secretary may be best described as the first among equals. Because the proceedings of this body are considered a state secret, the inner workings of Politburo are not made public. It is clear, however, that decision making has become consensus driven and that no single figure can any longer act unilaterally as in the days of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping.

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