The Central Military Commission (CMC) is the highest military leading organ of the PRC. It directs the armed forces of the country.

The Chairman of the CMC is responsible to the NPC and its Standing Committee. The NPC Standing Committee has the power to supervise the work of the CMC.

The CMC is composed of the chairman, vice-chairmen and other members. The Chairman of the CMC is elected by the NPC. The NPC decides other members according to the nomination by the Chairman of the CMC. The NPC has the power to remove from office the Chairman of the CMC and other members of the CMC. When the NPC is not in session, its Standing Committee may decide other members of the CMC upon the nomination of the Chairman of the CMC.

The Chairman of the CMC assumes overall responsibility for the work of the CMC and is responsible to the NPC and has the power to make final decisions on matters within the functions and powers of the CMC. The term of office of the CMC is five years, the same as that of the NPC.

In the early years of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the People's Revolutionary and Military Commission was established under the Central People's Government according to the Organic Law of the Central People's Government in 1949. The Constitution of 1954 stipulates: The President of the PRC directs the armed forces of the country and acts as the Chairman of the Commission of National Defense which is not a military leading organ but a consultative organ. The Constitution of 1975 and 1978 has no provisions on the Central Military Commission and the Commission of the National Defense, while the Constitution of 1982 clearly stipulates that the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China directs the armed forces of the country.

The current Chairman of the CMC is Jiang Zemin.