General Secretary of the Communist Party of China

General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China 中国共产党中央委员会总书记
Emblem of the Communist Party of China
Incumbent Hu Jintao since November 15, 2002
Residence	Zhongnanhai
Appointer	the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
Term length	Five Years
Inaugural holder	Chen Duxiu (1925) Hu Yaobang (1982)
Formation	1925-1943 September, 1982
Website	Top Leadership

People's Republic of China

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of the People's Republic of China

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The General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (simplified Chinese: 中国共产党中央委员会总书记; traditional Chinese: 中國共產黨中央委員會總書記; pinyin: Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng Zhōngyāng Wěiyuánhuì Zǒngshūjì), 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. Also the post holders are usually the de facto leaders of the People's Republic of China.

Powers and position

Since the abolition of the post Chairman of the Communist Party of China in 1982, the General Secretary is the highest ranking official of the party and heads the Secretariat, Politburo of the Party and its Standing Committee.

Recently, the General Secretary holds the authority of Paramount leader in China. Also China is a Single-party state that General Secretary holds the highest Political position ranking of PRC which is the most powerful position in the Chinese government.

For a list of office-holders, see List of leaders of the Communist Party of China.

Early General Secretaries

Chen Duxiu

Main article: Chen Duxiu

In June 1920, Comintern agent Grigori Voitinsky was sent to China, and met Li Dazhao and Chen Duxiu, the Chinese Communist Party was formed under the guideline of the Comintern, and was its first Chairman and first General Secretary. Chen was expelled from the CPC due to conflict with Comintern agents, and in 1942 died of heart attack.

Wang Ming

Main article: Wang Ming

The Soviet Union, through the vehicle of the Comintern, was using Wang Ming to control the operating of the CPC. According to Jung Chang in Mao: The Unknown Story, Mao Zedong tried to assassinate Wang Ming using poison. Wang Ming died in 1974 in Moscow.

Xiang Zhongfa

Main article: Xiang Zhongfa

Xiang Zhongfa was the General Secretary in 1928–1931. In October 1927, the Comintern asked the CPC to organize a delegation to Moscow to attend the celebration ceremony of 10th anniversary of the October Revolution, and Xiang was elected to be the director of the delegation to the Soviet Union.

In January 1928 Xiang wrote letters to Joseph Stalin and Nikolai Bukharin, denouncing the CPC. Then in March 1928, the Comintern asked the CCP to hold its 6th National Congress in Moscow.

Xiang Zhongfa was arrested by the KMT on June 21, 1931, then told the KMT all he knew of CPC. Chiang Kai-shek regarded Xiang as a useless defector, so ordered his exceution.

Li Lisan

Main article: Li Lisan

Li Lisan was the General Secretary between 1929–1930, and reputed to have committed suicide during the Cultural Revolution.

Zhang Wentian

Main article: Zhang Wentian

Zhang Wentian was the General Secretary between 1935–1943. He suffered prolonged persecution in the hands of Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution and died in 1976.

In 1925, Zhang studied in Moscow Moscow Sun Yat-sen University, where he established connection with Comintern.

CPC leaders after PRC established

Order	Image	Chairmen / General Secretaries	Term Start	Term End
Chairman of the Central Committee (1945-1982)
1		Mao Zedong (毛泽东 / 毛澤東) 26 December 1893(1893-12-26) - 9 September 1976(1976-09-09) (aged 82)	19 June 1945	9 September 1976
2		Hua Guofeng (华国锋 / 華國鋒) 16 February 1921(1921-02-16) - 20 August 2008(2008-08-20) (aged 87)	7 October 1976	28 June 1981
3		Hu Yaobang (胡耀邦) 20 November 1915(1915-11-20) - 15 April 1989(1989-04-15) (aged 73)	29 June 1981	11 September 1982
General Secretary of the Central Committee (1982-)
1		Hu Yaobang	11 September 1982	15 January 1987
Acting		Zhao Ziyang (赵紫阳 / 趙紫陽) 17 October 1919(1919-10-17) - 17 January 2005(2005-01-17) (aged 85)	16 January 1987	1 November 1987
2			2 November 1987	23 June 1989
3		Jiang Zemin (江泽民 / 江澤民) 17 August 1926 (1926-08-17) (age 85)	24 June 1989	15 November 2002
4		Hu Jintao (胡锦涛 / 胡錦濤) 21 December 1942 (1942-12-21) (age 68)	16 November 2002	Present

See also

• Chairman of the Communist Party of China
• List of leaders of the Communist Party of China

Gallery

General Secretaries (1925-1943)

• 

  陈独秀 Chen Duxiu

• 

  王明 Wang Ming

• 

  李立三 Li Lisan

• 

  向忠发 Xiang Zhongfa

• 

  瞿秋白 Qu Qiubai

• 

  张闻天 Zhang Wentian

• 

  博古 Bo Gu or 秦邦宪 Qin Bangxian

General Secretaries (since 1982)

• 

  胡耀邦 Hu Yaobang

• 

  赵紫阳 Zhao Ziyang

• 

  江泽民 Jiang Zemin

• 

  胡锦涛 Hu Jintao

References

• China Online Encyclopedia