Since 2018, the main body of the Chinese constitution declares that "the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)."[198] The 2018 amendments constitutionalized the de facto one-party state status of China,[198] wherein the CCP General Secretary (party leader) holds ultimate power and authority over state and government and serves as the informal Paramount leader.[199] The current General Secretary is Xi Jinping, who took office on November 15, 2012, and was re-elected on 25 October 2017.[200] The electoral system is pyramidal. Local People's Congresses are directly elected, and higher levels of People's Congresses up to the National People's Congress (NPC) are indirectly elected by the People's Congress of the level immediately below.[192]

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Another eight political parties, have representatives in the NPC and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).[201] China supports the Leninist principle of "democratic centralism",[192] but critics describe the elected National People's Congress as a "rubber stamp" body.[202]

Since both the CCP and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) promote according to seniority, it is possible to discern distinct generations of Chinese leadership.[203] In official discourse, each group of leadership is identified with a distinct extension of the ideology of the party. Historians have studied various periods in the development of the government of the People's Republic of China by reference to these "generations".

Since 2018, the main body of the Chinese constitution declares that "the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)."[198] The 2018 amendments constitutionalized the de facto one-party state status of China,[198] wherein the CCP General Secretary (party leader) holds ultimate power and authority over state and government and serves as the informal Paramount leader.[199] The current General Secretary is Xi Jinping, who took office on November 15, 2012, and was re-elected on 25 October 2017.[200] The electoral system is pyramidal. Local People's Congresses are directly elected, and higher levels of People's Congresses up to the National People's Congress (NPC) are indirectly elected by the People's Congress of the level immediately below.[192]

This section relies too much on references to primary sources. Please improve this section by adding secondary or tertiary sources. (November 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Another eight political parties, have representatives in the NPC and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).[201] China supports the Leninist principle of "democratic centralism",[192] but critics describe the elected National People's Congress as a "rubber stamp" body.[202]

Since both the CCP and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) promote according to seniority, it is possible to discern distinct generations of Chinese leadership.[203] In official discourse, each group of leadership is identified with a distinct extension of the ideology of the party. Historians have studied various periods in the development of the government of the People's Republic of China by reference to these "generations".