The president and the vice-president of the People’s Republic of China shall be elected by the National People’s Congress.

Citizens of the People’s Republic of China who have the right to vote and stand for election and who have reached the age of 45 are eligible for election as president or vice-president of the People’s Republic of China.

The president and the vice-president of the People’s Republic of China shall have the same term of office as that of the National People’s Congress.

The president of the People’s Republic of China, pursuant to decisions of the National People’s Congress and the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, promulgates laws, appoints or removes the premier, vice-premiers, state councilors, ministers of ministries, ministers of commissions, the auditor general and the secretary-general of the State Council, confers national medals and titles of honor, issues orders of special pardon, declares a state of emergency, declares a state of war, and issues mobilization orders.

The president of the People’s Republic of China engages in affairs of state and receives foreign diplomatic envoys on behalf of the People’s Republic of China and, pursuant to decisions of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, appoints or recalls plenipotentiary representatives abroad and ratifies or abrogates treaties and important agreements concluded with foreign countries.

The vice-president of the People’s Republic of China shall assist the president in his or her work.

The vice-president of the People’s Republic of China may, when so entrusted by the president, exercise part of the functions and powers of the president on his or her behalf.

The president and the vice-president of the People’s Republic of China shall exercise their functions and powers until the president and the vice-president elected by the next National People’s Congress assume office.

In the event that the office of president of the People’s Republic of China becomes vacant the vice-president shall succeed to the office of president.

In the event that the office of vice-president of the People’s Republic of China becomes vacant the National People’s Congress shall elect a new vice-president to fill the vacancy.

In the event that the offices of both president and vice-president of the People’s Republic of China become vacant the National People’s Congress shall elect a new president and a new vice-president; prior to their election, the chairperson of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee shall temporarily act as the president.