Currently the Politburo Standing Committee acts as the ''de facto'' highest decision-making body in China. Its membership is closely followed by both the national media as well as political watchers abroad. Historically, the role of the PSC has varied and evolved. During the Cultural Revolution, for example, the PSC had little power.
History
Throughout its existence, the actual power wielded by the PSC has varied widely from period to period. In the early days of the Cultural Revolution, for example, real power was concentrated in the Central Committee Cultural Revolution Group, which was nominally subject to the Politburo Standing Committee but in fact dominated over the Standing Committee. In 1969, the Cultural Revolution Group was abolished, with those of its members who were most loyal to admitted into the PSC. The last years of the Cultural Revolution were dominated by internal chaos, and following Mao's death in October 1976, only two PSC members continued their official duties; namely, Ye Jianying and Hua Guofeng. Five of the Committee members had died in the last year, one had been dismissed, and two were "quarantined for investigation".
After taking power in 1978, one of the goals of Deng Xiaoping was to strengthen the power of the party, a goal which he ironically undermined in 1989 when he ordered the military to intervene in the Tiananmen Protests of 1989 against the wishes of a majority of the PSC, and in which the party subsequently ousted a majority of the PSC.
Although Jiang Zemin stepped down from this powerful committee to make way for a younger of leadership led by Hu Jintao, Jiang may continue to wield significant influence. Five or six out of the nine new members of the Standing Committee, Wu Bangguo, Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Li Changchun and sometimes Wu Guanzheng are Jiang protégés. The 22-member is elected by the Party's central committee. At the 2002 16th Party Congress, the Standing Committee was expanded to include nine members. The PSC has always included an odd number of members to avoid deadlocks. For speculations about the incoming PSC members, see Generations of Chinese leadership.
Current members
''note: current order may be temporary, although they will be employed for the time being by state media. The of the remaining five will be determined as their portfolios are modified.''
Historical makeup of the PSC
16th PSC :
* Hu Jintao - President of the People's Republic of China, General Secretary of the CPC, Chairman of the .
* Wu Bangguo - Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
* Wen Jiabao - of the State Council of the People's Republic of China
* Jia Qinglin - Chairman of the People's Political Consultative Conference
* Zeng Qinghong - Vice-President of the People's Republic of China
* Huang Ju, Vice-Premier, died in office June 2007
* Wu Guanzheng - Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection
* Li Changchun - no other positions held, known to many as the propaganda chief
* Luo Gan - Political and Legislative Affairs Committee secretary
Interestingly, all nine members of the 16th PSC are university trained engineers.
15th PSC
* Jiang Zemin
* Li Peng
* Zhu Rongji
* Li Ruihuan
* Hu Jintao
* Wei Jianxing
* Li Lanqing
14th PSC
* Jiang Zemin - President
* Li Peng - Premier
* Qiao Shi - NPC Standing Committee Chairman
* Li Ruihuan - CPPCC Chairman
* Zhu Rongji - Executive Vice-Premier
* Liu Huaqing - CMC Vice-Chairman
* Hu Jintao - Vice-President
13th PSC
* Li Peng - Premier
* Hu Qili
* Qiao Shi
* Yao Yilin
* Zhao Ziyang - General Secretary
12th PSC
* Deng Xiaoping - Chairman of the Central Military Commission
* Chen Yun
* Hu Yaobang - General Secretary
* Li Xiannian - State President
* Ye Jianying
* Zhao Ziyang - Premier
11th PSC
* Deng Xiaoping
* Hua Guofeng
* Li Xiannian
* Wang Dongxing
* Ye Jianying
10th PSC
* Mao Zedong
* Zhou Enlai
* Wang Hongwen
* Zhu De
* Ye Jianying
* Dong Biwu
* Kang Sheng
* Li Desheng
* Zhang Chunqiao
* Deng Xiaoping
* Hua Guofeng
9th PSC
* Mao Zedong - Chairman of the Party
* Lin Biao - Vice-Chairman of the Party
* Chen Boda
* Zhou Enlai - Premier
* Kang Sheng
8th PSC
* Mao Zedong - Chairman of the Party
* Zhou Enlai - Premier
* Chen Yun
* Deng Xiaoping - General Secretary
* Lin Biao - Minister of Defence
* Liu Shaoqi - State President
* Zhu De - Grand Marshal
7th "De facto" PSC Often known as the "Big Five". Note: PSC originally termed the Party "Secretariat"
* Mao Zedong - Chairman of the Party
* Zhou Enlai - Premier
* Chen Yun
* Liu Shaoqi
* Zhu De
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