- Paramount leader (Chinese: 最高领导人; pinyin: Zuìgāo Lǐngdǎorén; lit. ‘highest leader’) is an informal term for the most important political figure in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The paramount leader typically controls the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), often holding the titles of CCP General Secretary and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC). The state representative (president) or head of government (premier) are not necessarily paramount leader—under China’s party-state system, CCP roles are politically more important than state titles.