This is a list of

heads of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and ...

of the Republic of China:

Current office holders

{, class="wikitable" , - !colspan=5, President of the Republic of China , - , rowspan=5, 蔡英文官方元首肖像照

, width=100px, Institution , colspan=2,

Presidency A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified b ...

, rowspan=5, The President is legally the nation's head of state who is responsible for the Republic China's image. The office is an executive role and, therefore, holds responsibilities such as greeting foreign dignitaries and signing the appointment of embassy staff. This position is directly elected by the citizens of the Free Area. Until 1996, it was indirectly elected by the National Assembly. , - , Current holder , colspan=2 width=400px,

Tsai Ing-wen Tsai Ing-wen (; born 31 August 1956) is a Taiwanese politician serving as president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) since 2016. A member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Tsai is the first female president of Taiwan. She served as ...

, - , Birthplace , colspan=2,

Taipei City Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the ...

Taiwan Province Taiwan Province (; PFS: ''Thòi-vàn-sén'' or ''Thòi-vân-sén'') is a nominal administrative division of the Republic of China (ROC). Its definition has remained part of the Constitution of the Republic of China, but the province is no lo ...

, - , Party , colspan=2, Democratic Progressive Party , - , Since , colspan=2, 20 May 2016 , - !colspan=5,

President of the Executive Yuan The Premier of the Republic of China, officially the President of the Executive Yuan ( Chinese: 行政院院長), is the head of the government of the Republic of China of Taiwan and leader of the Executive Yuan. The premier is nominally the ...

, - , rowspan=5, , width=100px, Institution , colspan=2, Executive Yuan , rowspan=5, The President of the Executive Yuan is the highest administrative position in the

Government of the Republic of China The Government of the Republic of China, is the national government of the Republic of China whose ''de facto'' territory currently consists of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other island groups in the "free area". Governed by the ...

. The Premier is nominally the principal advisor to the president of the Republic and holds the highest rank in the civil service of the central government and presides over the Executive Yuan Council, which makes up the official cabinet. The vice premier, ministers, and chairpersons of the Executive Yuan Council are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier. The premier's official duties also include presenting administrative policies and reports to the Legislators, responding to the interpellations of legislators (much like Question Time in some parliamentary systems), and, with the approval of the president, asking the Legislators to reconsider its resolutions. Laws and decrees promulgated by the President must also be countersigned by the Premier. , - , Current holder , colspan=2,

Su Tseng-chang Hope Su Tseng-chang (; born 28 July 1947) is a Taiwanese politician serving as premier of the Republic of China (Taiwan) since 2019, and previously from 2006 to 2007. He was the chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party in 2005 and from 2012 ...

, - , Birthplace , colspan=2,

Pingtung City Pingtung City (; Hokkien POJ: ''Pîn-tong-chhī'') is a county-administered city and the county seat of Pingtung County, Taiwan. History The area of modern-day Pingtung City was originally a village of the Taiwanese Plains Aborigines which th ...

, Kaohsiung County,

, - , Party , colspan=2, Democratic Progressive Party , - , Since , colspan=2, 14 January 2019 , - !colspan=5,

President of the Legislative Yuan The president of the Legislative Yuan is the presiding officer of the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China. The incumbent president is Yu Shyi-kun, a Democratic Progressive Party legislator and the second DPP President of the Legislative ...

, - , rowspan=5, 立法委員游錫堃

, width=100px, Institution , colspan=2, Legislative Yuan , rowspan=5, The President of the Legislative Yuan presides over the Yuan Sittings and the meetings of the Committee of the Entire Yuan and is responsible for the administration of the Yuan. In the cases in which the president of the Legislative Yuan is unable to attend to his or her duties, the vice president acts in his or her place. , - , Current holder , colspan=2,

You Si-kun You Si-kun (; born 25 April 1948), also romanized Yu Shyi-kun, is a Taiwanese people, Taiwanese politician serving as a member and the president of the Legislative Yuan. He was one of the founding members of the Democratic Progressive Party ( ...

, - , Birthplace , colspan=2, Dongshan Township, Yilan County,

, - , Party , colspan=2, Democratic Progressive Party , - , Since , colspan=2, 1 January 2020 , - !colspan=5, President of the Judicial Yuan , - , rowspan=5, Hsu Tzong-li 2014

, width=100px, Institution , colspan=2, Judicial Yuan , rowspan=5, The President of the Judicial Yuan is also called the Chief justice, which mandated that the position holder shall also be a justice in the Constitutional Court. The President shall be nominated and, with the consent of the Control Yuan, appointed by the President of the Republic. In the current constitution, the President of the Judicial Yuan shall be nominated by the President of the Republic and approved by the Legislative Yuan. , - , Current holder , colspan=2, Hsu Tzong-li , - , Birthplace , colspan=2,

Chiayi City Chiayi (, Taigi POJ: ''Ka-gī''; ), officially known as Chiayi City, is a city located in the plains of southwestern Taiwan. Formerly called ''Kagee'' during the late Qing dynasty and ''Kagi'' during the Japanese era (), its historical name ...

, - , Party , colspan=2, Independent , - , Since , colspan=2, 1 November 2016 , - !colspan=5, President of the Examination Yuan , - , rowspan=5, Huang Jong-tsun (cropped)

, width=100px, Institution , colspan=2, Examination Yuan , rowspan=5, The President of the Examination Yuan is responsible for the oversight to administrate all national exams and is responsible for the examinations and management of all civil service personnel. , - , Current holder , colspan=2, Huang Jong-tsun , - , Birthplace , colspan=2, Tianzhong Township,

Changhua County Changhua County ( Mandarin Pinyin: ''Zhānghuà Xiàn''; Wade-Giles: ''Chang¹-hua⁴ Hsien⁴''; Hokkien POJ: ''Chiang-hòa-koān'' or ''Chiong-hòa-koān'') is the smallest county on the main island of Taiwan by area, and the fourth small ...

, - , Party , colspan=2, Independent , - , Since , colspan=2, 1 September 2020 , - !colspan=5, President of the Control Yuan , - , rowspan=5, Chen Chu in August 2020

, width=100px, Institution , colspan=2, Control Yuan , rowspan=5, The President of the Control Yuan oversees the affairs of the Yuan and supervise subordinate agencies, exercises constitutional powers of impeachment, censure, and audit and proposes corrective measures in overseeing government, effectively achieving good governance, protecting human rights, and fighting corruption. The President also presided over Control Yuan meetings when it functioned as a parliamentary chamber. , - , Current holder , colspan=2, Chen Chu , - , Birthplace , colspan=2, Ludong Township, Taipei County,

, - , Party , colspan=2, Democratic Progressive Party , - , Since , colspan=2, 1 August 2020 , -

Historical office holders

Military Governments (1911)

2007TaipeiInternationalFlowerExhibition ShuibianChen

2008 Taipei IT Month Opening Ying-jeou Ma

Beginning with the

Wuchang Uprising The Wuchang Uprising was an armed rebellion against the ruling Qing dynasty that took place in Wuchang (now Wuchang District of Wuhan), Hubei, China on 10 October 1911, beginning the Xinhai Revolution that successfully overthrew China's last ...

on 11 October 1911 and in the following two months, provincial military governments declared their independence from the Qing Empire under the name "Republic of China." On 30 November 1911, the "Central Military Government of the Republic of China" was established under the leadership of

Li Yuanhong Li Yuanhong (; courtesy name Songqing 宋卿) (October 19, 1864 – June 3, 1928) was a Chinese politician during the Qing dynasty and the Republic of China. He was the president of the Republic of China between 1916 and 1917, and between 1922 ...

Provisional Government of the Republic of China (Nanjing, 1912; Beijing, 1912–1913)

Provisional President of the Republic of China (臨時大總統): * Sun Yat-sen (1 January 1912 - 10 March 1912) *

Yuan Shikai Yuan Shikai (; 16 September 1859 – 6 June 1916) was a Chinese military and government official who rose to power during the late Qing dynasty and eventually ended the Qing dynasty rule of China in 1912, later becoming the Emperor of China. H ...

(10 March 1912 - 10 October 1913) The "Republic of China" was formally proclaimed on 1 January 1912 and Sun Yat-sen took office in Nanking (now

Nanjing Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...

) as the first provisional president. Sun resigned on March 10 and was succeeded by Qing Empire Prime Minister Yuan Shikai. This moved the government to

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

Government of the Republic of China (Beijing, 1913–1928)

Yuan Shikai enacted a new Constitution to greatly expand his powers as president and abolish the National Assembly. Sun Yat-sen and his supporters responded with the failed Second Revolution and were subsequently exiled. The later ROC governments under the KMT (and the current

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

government) considers the Beiyang Government after this point to be illegitimate. *

(10 October 1913 - 22 December 1915) Yuan Shikai declared himself Emperor on 22 December 1915. Popular opposition led Yuan to retract his declaration on 22 March 1916. *

(22 March 1916 - 6 June 1916) *

(7 June 1916 - 1 July 1917) Yuan died in 1916 and was succeeded by Vice President Li Yuan-hung. Warlord Zhang Xun restored

Puyi Aisin-Gioro Puyi (; 7 February 1906 – 17 October 1967), courtesy name Yaozhi (曜之), was the last emperor of China as the eleventh and final Qing dynasty monarch. He became emperor at the age of two in 1908, but was forced to abdicate on 1 ...

to the throne for twelve days from July 1 to 12 July 1917. The Republican government was soon restored, but local warlords forced Li from office. *

(12 July 1917 - 17 July 1917) * Feng Guozhang (17 July 1917 - 10 October 1918) * Xu Shichang (10 October 1918 - 2 June 1922) *'' Zhou Ziqi (2 Jun 1922 - 11 Jun 1922) (acting)'' *

(11 June 1922 - 13 June 1923) *'' Zhang Shaozeng (13 Jun 1923 - 9 Sep 1923) (acting)'' *'' Gao Lingwei (9 Sep 1923 - 10 Oct 1923) (acting)'' *

Cao Kun General Cao Kun (; courtesy name: Zhongshan () (December 12, 1862 – May 15, 1938) was a Chinese warlord and politician, who served the President of the Republic of China from 1923 to 1924, as well as the military leader of the Zhili clique ...

(10 October 1923 - 2 November 1924) *'' Huang Fu (2 Nov 1924 - 24 Nov 1924) (acting)'' *

Duan Qirui Duan Qirui (; ) (March 6, 1865 – November 2, 1936) was a Chinese warlord and politician, a commander of the Beiyang Army and the acting Chief Executive of the Republic of China (in Beijing) from 1924 to 1926. He was also the Premier of the R ...

(24 November 1924 - 20 April 1926) *'' Hu Weide (20 Apr 1926 - 13 May 1926) (acting)'' *'' Yan Huiqing (13 May 1926 - 22 Jun 1926) (acting)'' *'' Du Xigui (22 Jun 1926 - 1 Oct 1926) (acting)'' *''

Wellington Koo Koo Vi Kyuin (; January 29, 1888 – November 14, 1985), better known as V. K. Wellington Koo, was a statesman of the Republic of China. He was one of Republic of China's representatives at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. Wellington Koo ...

(1 Oct 1926 - 18 Jun 1927) (acting)'' *

Zhang Zuolin Zhang Zuolin (; March 19, 1875 June 4, 1928), courtesy name Yuting (雨亭), nicknamed Zhang Laogang (張老疙瘩), was an influential Chinese bandit, soldier, and warlord during the Warlord Era in China. The warlord of Manchuria from 1916 to ...

(18 June 1927 - 2 June 1928) The Beiyang Government was extinguished by the Northern Expedition led by the

Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...

Military Government (Guangzhou, 1917–1925)

The

Chinese Revolutionary Party The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...

established a rival government in

Guangzhou Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...

and declared legitimacy over the "warlord" government in Beijing (which they renamed Beiping since ''jing'' means "capital"). Generalissimo of the Military Government (海陸軍大元帥): * Sun Yat-sen (10 September 1917 - 5 July 1918) The Military Government was headed collectively by the Governing Committee of the Military Government (5 July 1918 - 21 August 1918), viz., *Sun Yat-sen *

Tang Shaoyi Tang Shaoyi (; 2 January 1862 – 30 September 1938), also spelled Tong Shao Yi, courtesy name Shaochuan (), was a Chinese statesman who briefly served as the first Premier of the Republic of China in 1912. In 1938, he was assassinated by the ...

Wu Tingfang Wu Ting-fang (; 30 July 184223 June 1922) was a diplomat and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and briefly as Acting Premier during the early years of the Republic of China. He was also known as Ng Choy or Ng Achoy (). Ed ...

Cen Chunxuan Cen Chunxuan (1861 – 27 April 1933), courtesy name Yunjie, was a Zhuang Chinese politician who lived in the late Qing dynasty and Republic of China. Early career Cen was born in 1861 during the late Qing dynasty in Xilin, Guangxi. Hi ...

Lu Rongting Lu Rongting (; September 9, 1859 – November 6, 1928), also spelled as Lu Yung-ting and Lu Jung-t'ing, was a late Qing/early Republican military and political leader from Wuming, Guangxi. Lu belonged to the Zhuang ethnic group.吴振汉. � ...

* Tang Jiyao * Lin Baoyi In 1918, Sun Yat-sen and his government was forced out of Guangdong by warlords. The Military Government was consolidated by Chairman of the Governing Committee (主席總裁): *

(21 August 1918 - 24 October 1920) Sun Yat-sen and his supporters were restored in Guangzhou with the help of local warlord Chen Jiongming in 1920. On 24 October 1920 to 4 May 1921, figurehead duties were again given collectively to the Governing Committee of the Military Government, viz., *Sun Yat-sen *Tang Shaoyi *Wu Tingfang *Tang Jiyao. Sun Yat-sen was elected "President" by remnants of the 1912 National Assembly, but since this parliament lacked the quorum established by the 1912 Constitution, he took the title of Extraordinary President (非常大總統): * Sun Yat-sen (5 May 1921 - 29 June 1922) In 1922, Sun was expelled from Guangdong by Chen Jiongming. Sun Yat-sen was restored in Guangdong in 1923 and established the National Government with the help of the Comintern. Generalissimo of the Military Government (海陸軍大元帥): * Sun Yat-sen (2 March 1923 - 12 March 1925) Sun died in 1925 and was succeeded as acting Generalissimo of the National Government by Hu Hanmin. *''

Hu Hanmin Hu Hanmin (; born in Panyu, Guangdong, Qing dynasty, China, 9 December 1879 – Kwangtung, Republic of China, 12 May 1936) was a Chinese philosopher and politician who was one of the early conservative right factional leaders in the Kuomintang ...

(12 March 1925 - 1 July 1925) (acting)''

National Government (Guangzhou, 1925–1927)

Chairmen of the National Government (國民政府主席): *

Wang Jingwei Wang Jingwei (4 May 1883 – 10 November 1944), born as Wang Zhaoming and widely known by his pen name Jingwei, was a Chinese politician. He was initially a member of the left wing of the Kuomintang, leading a government in Wuhan in oppositi ...

(1 July 1925 - 15 April 1926) Wang Ching-wei was forced out of office over the attempted kidnapping of Chiang Kai-shek in the Zhongshan Gunboat Incident. *

Tan Yankai Tan Yankai (; ; January 25, 1880 – September 22, 1930) was a Chinese politician. Biography Tan Yankai was born on 25 January 1880 in Hangzhou during the waning decades of the Qing dynasty. He was the son of the Qing minister Tan Zhonglin ...

(16 April 1926 - 29 March 1927) In 1927, the

embarked on the Northern Expedition and left its base in Guangzhou for Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai in three separate divisions.

National Government (Wuhan, 1927)

During the Northern Expedition, Wang Ching-wei declared

Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei Province in the People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the ninth-most populous Chinese city an ...

to be the capital of the Republic of China after the city's capture by National Revolutionary Army forces loyal to the KMT left-wing. Chairmen of the Standing Committee of the National Government: *

(20 March 1927 - 13 September 1927)

National Government (Nanjing, 1927–1937; Chongqing, 1937–1945; Nanjing, 1945–1947)

Chiang Kai-shek declared the capital of the Republic of China to be in

after the city's capture by National Revolutionary Army forces loyal to the KMT right-wing during the Northern Expedition. Chairmen of the Standing Committee of the National Government: * Chiang Kai-shek (18 April 1927 - 15 August 1927) *

(15 August 1927 - 10 October 1928) The leftist government in Wuhan was overwhelmed by local warlords and agreed to join the Nationalist Government in Nanjing in September 1928. Chairmen of the National Government (國民政府主席): * Chiang Kai-shek (10 October 1928 - 15 December 1931) * Lin Sen (15 December 1931 - 1 August 1943) The National Government relocated to Chongqing from 1937 to 1945 due to the Japanese invasion. * Chiang Kai-shek (1 August 1943 - 20 May 1948)

Provisional National Government (Beijing, 1937–1940)

The Provisional National Government was established as a Japanese collaborationist government established under occupation. Acting Chairman of the Provisional National Government: *

Wang Kemin Wang Kemin (; Wade-Giles: Wang K'o-min, May 4, 1879 – December 25, 1945) was a leading official in the Chinese republican movement and early Beiyang government, later noted for his role as in the collaborationist Provisional Government ...

(14 December 1937 - 30 March 1940)

Reformed National Government (Nanjing, 1938–1940)

The Reformed National Government was established as a Japanese collaborationist government established under occupation. Acting Chairman of the Reformed National Government: * Liang Hongzhi (28 March 1938 - 30 March 1940)

National Government (Nanjing, 1940–1945)

A National Government, as a challenge to the legitimacy of Chiang Kai-shek's National Government in Chongqing, was established as a Japanese collaborationist government established under occupation. As evidence of its claims to legitimacy, the government in Nanjing established the same set of institutions as the one in Chongqing and flew an almost-identical flag. This replaced the Provisional and Reformed National Governments. Chairmen of the National Government (國民政府主席): *

(30 March 1940 - 10 November 1944) *'' Chen Gongbo (20 Nov 1944 - Aug 1945) (acting)''

Constitutional Government (Nanjing, 1947–1949; Guangzhou/Chongqing/Chengdu, 1949; Taipei, 1949–present)

A new constitution was promulgated on 25 December 1947 and Chiang Kai-shek was subsequently elected President by the National Assembly. President of the Republic of China (中華民國總統): * Chiang Kai-shek (20 May 1948 - 21 January 1949) *''

Li Zongren Li Zongren or Li Tsung-jen (; 13 August 1890 – 30 January 1969), courtesy name Telin (Te-lin; ), was a prominent Guangxi warlord and Kuomintang (KMT) military commander during the Northern Expedition, Second Sino-Japanese War and Chinese C ...

(January 21, 1949 - March 1, 1950) (acting)'' Chiang Kai-shek resigned amid losses in the

Chinese Civil War The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on m ...

. The government moved from Nanjing to Guangzhou, then to Chongqing and finally Chengdu before arriving to

Taipei Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the ...

on 8 December 1949. Li Tsung-jen had left for the United States in November 1949 and Chiang officially resumed his powers in March 1950. This regime remained the internationally recognized true government of China with sovereignty throughout mainland China, Taiwan, Tibet Area, Sinkiang and Outer Mongolia until recognition shifted to the

by the United Nations in 1971 and the United States in 1979. * Chiang Kai-shek (1 March 1950 - 5 April 1975) (first to fifth terms) *

Yen Chia-kan Yen Chia-kan (; 23 October 1905 – 24 December 1993), also known as C. K. Yen, was a Kuomintang politician. He succeeded Chiang Kai-shek as President of the Republic of China on 5 April 1975, being sworn in on 6 April 1975, and served out the ...

(6 April 1975 - 20 May 1978) (fifth term) *

Chiang Ching-kuo Chiang Ching-kuo (27 April 1910 – 13 January 1988) was a politician of the Republic of China after its retreat to Taiwan. The eldest and only biological son of former president Chiang Kai-shek, he held numerous posts in the government ...

(20 May 1978 - 13 January 1988) (sixth and seventh terms) * Lee Teng-hui (13 January 1988 - 20 May 1996) (seventh and eighth terms) Starting from the ninth term the president is elected by popular vote among citizens of the Republic of China in the " Free Area of the Republic of China" (area under ''de facto'' Republic of China administration), instead of by the National Assembly. * Lee Teng-hui (20 May 1996 - 20 May 2000) (ninth term) *

Chen Shui-bian Chen Shui-bian (; born 12 October 1950) is a retired Taiwanese politician and lawyer who served as the president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2000 to 2008. Chen was the first president from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) whic ...

(20 May 2000 - 20 May 2008) (tenth and eleventh terms) *

Ma Ying-Jeou Ma Ying-jeou ( zh, 馬英九, born 13 July 1950) is a Hong Kong-born Taiwanese politician who served as president of the Republic of China from 2008 to 2016. Previously, he served as justice minister from 1993 to 1996 and mayor of Taipei fro ...

(20 May 2008 – 20 May 2016) (twelfth and thirteenth terms) *

(20 May 2016 – present) (fourteenth and fifteenth terms)