State councillor

Role

The state councillors are nominated by the premier, who are then approved by the National People's Congress and appointed by the president. Candidates for top positions including the state councillors are first approved first by the CCP's Politburo Standing Committee, and then by its Politburo, then approved in a special plenary session the Central Committee just before the NPC session for vote by the Congress, with the premier nominating the candidates during the NPC session.

State councillors are members of the executive meetings of the State Council, along with the premier, vice premiers, and the secretary-general. The state councilors selected once every five years and are limited to two terms. The state councillors are tasked with assisting the premier, as well as be entrusted by the premier to take charge of work in certain fields or take certain special tasks. State councillors can also represent the State Council on foreign visits.

State councillors often accompany China's higher dignitaries on trips abroad, as was the case with State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan from 2003 to 2008, and Dai Bingguo from 2008 to 2013. Dai also became China's representative at the 2009 G8 summit in Italy when President Hu Jintao decided to cut short his attendance to return to China in order to deal with the July 2009 Ürümqi riots.

List of state councillors

5th State Council (1982–1983)

The position was created during the May 1982 restructuring of the State Council. Eleven state councillors were appointed, ten of whom were vice premiers until then, the only exception being Zhang Jingfu.

1. Yu Qiuli
2. Geng Biao
3. Fang Yi
4. Gu Mu
5. Kang Shi'en
6. Chen Muhua
7. Bo Yibo
8. Ji Pengfei
9. Huang Hua
10. Zhang Jingfu
11. Zhang Aiping

6th State Council (1983–1988)

1. Fang Yi
2. Gu Mu
3. Kang Shi'en
4. Chen Muhua
5. Ji Pengfei
6. Zhang Jingfu
7. Zhang Aiping
8. Wu Xueqian
9. Wang Bingqian
10. Song Ping
11. Song Jian

7th State Council (1988–1993)

1. Li Tieying
2. Qin Jiwei
3. Wang Bingqian
4. Song Jian
5. Wang Fang
6. Zou Jiahua
7. Li Guixian
8. Chen Xitong
9. Chen Junsheng
10. Qian Qichen

8th State Council (1993–1998)

1. Li Tieying
2. Chi Haotian
3. Song Jian
4. Li Guixian
5. Chen Junsheng
6. Ismail Amat
7. Peng Peiyun
8. Luo Gan - Secretary-General of the State Council

9th State Council (1998–2003)

10th State Council (2003–2008)

11th State Council (2008–2013)

12th State Council (2013–2018)

13th State Council (2018–2023)

14th State Council (2023–present)

From the 1st Session of the 14th National People's Congress to the 6th Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress

Since the 6th Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress