General Office of the President of the People's Republic of China

On July 30, 1955, State President Mao Zedong appointed Zhang Jingwu as the only individual in history to serve as Director of the General Office of the President of the People's Republic of China. Zhang concurrently served as the representative of the Central People's Government in Tibet and as First Secretary of the CCP Tibet Work Committee.^[2]

On October 31, 1968, State President Liu Shaoqi was stripped of all positions both within and outside the Party by the 12th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. He later died on November 12, 1969, following prolonged maltreatment.^[3]

From 1969 to 1972, the presidential powers were exercised jointly by Vice Presidents Soong Ching-ling and Dong Biwu.^[4] From 1972 to 1975, Dong Biwu served as Acting President of the People's Republic of China.^[5] In 1971, Zhang Jingwu was severely beaten and later died in Qincheng Prison.^[6]

On January 17, 1975, the First Session of the 4th National People's Congress adopted the second Constitution of the People's Republic of China, abolishing the office of the State President altogether. On December 4, 1982, the Fifth Session of the 5th National People's Congress adopted the fourth Constitution of the People's Republic of China (the 1982 Constitution of the People's Republic of China), restoring the presidency as a largely ceremonial position without substantive executive powers. As a result, the President, as a ceremonial head of state, was no longer provided with an independent administrative office.^[7][8]

• Director: Zhang Jingwu
• Deputy Director: Tian Jiaying