In the technical terminology of political science the PRC was a communist state for much of the 20th century, and is still considered a communist state by many, though not all, political scientists. Attempts to simply characterize the nature of the political structure of China fail. The regime has variously been described as authoritarian, communist, socialist and various combinations of the those terms. It has also been described as a communist government.

The government of the PRC is controlled by the Communist Party of China. While there have been some moves toward political liberalization in that contested elections are now held at the village level and legislatures have shown some assertiveness from time to time, the party retains effective control over governmental appointments and takes authoritarian measures against groups and individuals who challenge its rule. While the state uses authoritarian methods to deal with challenges to its rule, it simultaneously attempts to reduce dissent by improving the economy, allowing expression of personal grievances, and giving rather lenient treatment to persons expressing dissent whom the regime does not believe are organizers.

Censorship of political speech is routine and opposition forces, such as protests by ununionized urban workers and the Tiananmen Square protests have been suppressed. Any labor, religious, or political organization not controlled by the state may be considered subversive and is subject to suppression. Information about social and political conditions in the country are considered state secrets, thus criminalizing communication or publication of accurate information. Other methods of control include intense surveillance, false criminal charges, exile, and long prison terms for leaders of the opposition movements, separatist movements, and independent labor and religious leaders.

The support that the Communist Party of China has among the Chinese population is unclear as there are no national elections. Many in China appear appreciative of the role that the government plays in maintaining social stability, which has allowed the economy to grow without interruption. Political concerns in China include the growing gap between rich and poor in the PRC, and the growing discontent with widespread corruption within the leadership.

There are some other parties in PRC. The CPC cooperates with these parties through a special conference, called the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (C.P.P.C.C.) led by the Chinese government, rather than elections. Nevertheless, the effect of the other parties on the government remains minimal. As an advisory body of CPC without real power, the C.P.P.C.C is quite symbolic.