Secretary-General of the Chinese Communist Party

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Secretary-General of the Chinese Communist Party

The Secretary-General of the Chinese Communist Party was a senior leadership role created to help run the Central Committee’s daily work. The position existed from the founding of the CCP and early records are incomplete because of the Long March and the Chinese Civil War.

Over time, the office was sometimes called the Secretary-General of the Central Committee and, in two periods (1956–1966 and 1980–1982), the title was General Secretary. During those years, the Secretary-General helped the Party Chairman and Vice-Chairmen by running the Secretariat.

Notable holders include Mao Zedong, who was the earliest known secretary-general (from 1923); Deng Xiaoping, who served in several early and later roles; and Hu Yaobang, who was secretary-general in the late 1970s and later became General Secretary. Other early leaders included Wang Ruofei, Li Weihan, Zhou Enlai, Ren Bishi, and Deng Xiaoping in various positions.

The post was eventually renamed and evolved into the modern role of the CCP’s top leader—the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. Today, the General Secretary is the party’s highest leader, not the old Secretary-General title.

See also: General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.