The previous president of China (the People’s Republic of China) is Hu Jintao.
He served as president from March 15, 2003, to March 14, 2013, when he was succeeded by the current president, Xi Jinping (who has held the office since March 2013 and remains in power as of February 2026, with no term limits since 2018).
Note: In the PRC system, the presidency is largely ceremonial and held by the same person who is the paramount leader (General Secretary of the CCP and Chairman of the Central Military Commission). Hu Jintao was the immediate predecessor in all these roles to Xi Jinping. Earlier presidents include Jiang Zemin (1993–2003), but Hu is the most recent one before the current incumbent.