It is currently chaired by CCP general secretary Xi Jinping, with premier Li Qiang as its deputy leader.

[1]: 74  It was disbanded during the Cultural Revolution and restored in 1981 as Deng Xiaoping increased the number of stakeholders involved in the development of foreign policy.

[2]: 178  It was the only standing foreign policy coordination body until the aftermath of the United States bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, which prompted the creation of the Central National Security Leadership Small Group (NSLSG) in 2000 to coordinate national security crisis response.

Through the commission, the CCP leadership makes decisions, assigns responsibilities and oversees implementation on a broad range of foreign-related activities.

[8] The Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission is its administrative agency, operating secretively like its parent body.