The president and vice president of the PRC are elected by the NPC. The NPC has the power to remove from office the president and vice president of the PRC. The president and vice president of the PRC are elected to the same length of term as the NPC and shall serve no more than two consecutive terms.

The president of the PRC, in pursuance of decisions of the NPC and its Standing Committee, promulgates statutes; appoints or removes the premier, vice premiers, state councilors, ministers in charge of ministries or commissions, the auditor general and the secretary general of the State Council; confers state medals and titles of honor; issues orders of special pardons; proclaims martial law; proclaims a state of war; and, issues mobilization orders. The president of the PRC also receives credentials offered by foreign diplomatic representatives on behalf of the PRC and, in pursuance of decisions of the NPC Standing Committee, appoints or recalls plenipotentiary representatives abroad and ratifies or abrogates treaties and important agreements concluded with foreign states.

Previous presidents of the PRC were Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Soong Ching Ling (honorary), Li Xiannian, Yang Shangkun and Jiang Zemin.

Hu Jintao is incumbent president of the PRC and Zeng Qinghong is incumbent vice president.