The Chairman of the Communist Party of China ( Chinese: 中国共产党主席 pinyin: Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng Zhǔxí), was the most powerful position in the Communist Party of China until the death of Mao. While Hua Guofeng succeeded Mao in the role, he was unable to consolidate power and it was actually Vice-Chairman Deng Xiaoping who, by 1978, was the paramount figure in the People's Republic of China. The position was abolished in 1982 making the General Secretary the most powerful position in the party. It had been held by:
