The term "First Lady" refers to the legal spouse of the paramount leader or the state representative of China, but this is an unofficial title. Because China's highest leader and head of state are not necessarily the same person, the official definition of "first spouse" has long been absent.
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History
During Liu Shaoqi 's tenure as President of China, he and his wife Wang Guangmei made several overseas visits. Foreign media often referred to Wang Guangmei as "First Lady," which displeased Mao Zedong's wife, Jiang Qing. Jiang Qing believed that as the wife of the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, she was the rightful First Lady. This laid the groundwork for the later criticism and struggle against Liu Shaoqi and his wife during the Cultural Revolution.
Until 2013, when Xi Jinping, China’s top leader, visited Russia, Tanzania and South Africa with his wife Peng Liyuan, the official Chinese media Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily and Global Times referred to Peng Liyuan as "China’s First Lady", which sparked a "First Lady fever" in China. After that, official reports mostly referred to Peng Liyuan as "Xi Jinping’s wife", and when she visited foreign countries, she was referred to as "Professor Peng Liyuan".
List of spouses of the paramount leaders
All six leaders have had a spouse during their terms in office. The current First Lady is Peng Liyuan, wife of General Secretary Xi Jinping.
List of spouses of presidents
Since the first president, six presidents have had a spouse during their terms in office. The current spouse is Peng Liyuan, wife of President Xi Jinping.