Constitution of the People's Republic of China in the context of "National People's Congress"

The government of the People's Republic of China is based on a system of people's congress within the parameters of a unitary communist state, in which the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) enacts its policies through people's congresses. This system is based on the principle of unified state power, in which the legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), is constitutionally enshrined as "the highest state organ of power." As China's political system has no separation of powers, there is only one branch of government which is represented by the legislature. The CCP through the NPC enacts unified leadership, which requires that all state organs, from the Supreme People's Court to the State Council of China, are elected by, answerable to, and have no separate powers than those granted to them by the NPC. By law, all elections at all levels must adhere to the leadership of the CCP. The CCP controls appointments in all state bodies through a two-thirds majority in the NPC. The remaining seats are held by nominally independent delegates and eight minor political parties, which are non-oppositional and support the CCP. All government bodies and state-owned enterprises have internal CCP committees that lead the decision-making in these institutions.

The NPC meets annually for about two weeks in March to review and approve major new policy directions, and in between those sessions, delegates its powers to the working legislature, the NPC Standing Committee (NPCSC). This organ adopts most national legislation, interprets the constitution and laws, and conducts constitutional reviews, and is headed by the chairman, one of China's top officials. The president is a ceremonial office and has no real power but represents China abroad, though since the 1990s, the presidency has always been held by the leader of the Chinese Communist Party. Elected separately by the NPC, the vice president has no power other than what the president bestowed on them but assists the president. The head of the State Council, the NPC's executive organ, is the premier. The General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party is China's leading official since the CCP is tasked with formulating and setting national policy which the state, after being adopted by the NPC or relevant state organ, is responsible for implementing.

Chinese autonomous administrative divisions are associated with one or more ethnic minorities that are designated as autonomous within the People's Republic of China. These areas are recognized in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and are nominally given a number of rights not accorded to other administrative divisions of China. For example, Tibetan minorities in autonomous regions are granted rights and support not given to the Han Chinese, such as fiscal and medical subsidies.

The succession of power in China since 1949 takes place in the context of a one-party state under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Despite the guarantee of universal franchise in the constitution, the appointment of the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (paramount leader) lies largely in the hands of his predecessor and the powerful factions that control the Central Committee of the CCP.

The appointment of the top leader occurred after two five year terms in accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China from 1982 to 2018. This was changed to unlimited terms during the first plenary session of the 13th National People's Congress in March 2018.

When referring to political divisions of China, town is the standard English translation of the Chinese 镇 (traditional: 鎮; pinyin: zhèn; Wade–Giles: chen). The Constitution of the People's Republic of China classifies towns as fourth-level administrative units, along with, for example, townships (Chinese: 乡; pinyin: xiāng). A township is typically smaller in population and more remote than a town.

Similar to higher-level administrative units, the borders of a town would typically include an urban core (a small town with the population on the order of 10,000 people), as well as a rural area with some villages (村; cūn, or 庄; zhuāng).

Autonomous prefectures (Chinese: 自治州; pinyin: zìzhìzhōu) are one type of autonomous administrative division in China, existing at the prefectural level, with either ethnic minorities forming over 50% of the population or being, most commonly, the historic home of significant minorities. The official name of an autonomous prefecture includes the most significant minority in that region, sometimes two, rarely three. For example, a prefecture with a large number of Kazakhs (Kazak in official naming system) may be called a Kazak Autonomous Prefecture. Like all other prefectural level divisions, autonomous prefectures are divided into county level divisions. There is one exception: Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture contains two prefectures of its own. Under the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, autonomous prefectures cannot be abolished.

The judiciary of the People's Republic of China (PRC), organized under the constitution and organic law, is one of five organs of state power elected by the National People's Congress (NPC). The PRC does not have judicial independence or judicial review as the courts do not have authority beyond what is granted to them by the NPC under a system of unified power. The Chinese Communist Party's Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission maintains effective control over the court system and its personnel. Hong Kong and Macau have separate court systems in accordance with the "one country, two systems" doctrine.