Executive branch: chief of state: President JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) and Vice President RONG Yiren (since 27 March 1993) head of government: Premier LI Peng (acting premier since 24 November 1987, premier since 9 April 1988); Vice Premiers ZHU Rongji (since 8 April 1991), ZOU Jiahua (since 8 April 1991), QIAN Qichen (since 29 March 1993), LI Lanqing (29 March 1993), WU Bangguo (since 17 March 1995), and JIANG Chunyun (since 17 March 1995) cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress (NPC) elections: president and vice president elected by the National People's Congress for five-year terms; election last held 27 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998); premier and vice premiers nominated by the president, confirmed by the National People's Congress election results: JIANG Zemin elected by the Eighth National People's Congress; percent of National People's Congress vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,977 seats; members indirectly elected at county or xian level to serve five-year terms) elections: last held NA March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA
Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court, judges appointed by the
National People's Congress
Political parties and leaders: Chinese Communist Party (CCP), JIANG Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP
Political pressure groups and leaders: no meaningful political opposition groups exist
International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, BIS (pending member), CCC, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), Mekong Group, MINURSO, NAM (observer), PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador LI Daoyu chancery : 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500 through 2502 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James R. SASSER embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831 FAX : [86] (10) 6532-6422 consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang
Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner
Economy