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Xi Jinping
 | This article does not cite any sources. (February 2025) |
Xi Jinping | |
|---|---|
习近平 | |
_02.jpg) Xi in 2024 | |
| General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party | |
| Assumed office 15 November 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Hu Jintao |
| President of China | |
| Assumed office 14 March 2013 | |
| Premier | |
| Vice President |
|
| Preceded by | Hu Jintao |
| Chairman of the Central Military Commission | |
Assumed office
| |
| Deputy | |
| Preceded by | Hu Jintao |
| First-ranked Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party | |
| In office 22 October 2007 – 15 November 2012 | |
| General Secretary | Hu Jintao |
| Preceded by | Zeng Qinghong |
| Succeeded by | Liu Yunshan |
| Vice President of China | |
| In office 15 March 2008 – 14 March 2013 | |
| President | Hu Jintao |
| Preceded by | Zeng Qinghong |
| Succeeded by | Li Yuanchao |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 June 1953 Beijing, China |
| Political party | CCP (since 1974) |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | Xi Mingze |
| Parent(s) | |
| Relatives | Qi Qiaoqiao (sister) |
| Residence | Zhongnanhai |
| Alma mater | Tsinghua University |
| Awards | Full list |
| Signature | .svg) |
| Website | www.gov.cn (in Chinese) |
| Scientific career | |
| Thesis | A Tentative Study on China's Rural Marketization (2001) |
| Doctoral advisor | Liu Meixun (刘美珣) |
| 2= | |
Central institution membershipTemplate:Discuss
Leading Groups and Commissions
Other offices held
| |
Xi Jinping [a 1], born on 15 June 1953, is a prominent Chinese politician who has held the position of general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) since 2012, making him the paramount leader of China. Additionally, he has served as the seventh president of China since 2013. As a member of the fifth generation of Chinese leadership, Xi is notable for being the first CCP general secretary born after the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Xi Jinping, the son of prominent Chinese communist figure Xi Zhongxun, faced exile to rural Yanchuan County in Shaanxi Province during his teenage years due to his father's purge amid the Cultural Revolution. He resided in a yaodong in the village of Liangjiahe, where, after several unsuccessful attempts, he eventually joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and took on the role of local party secretary. After completing his studies in chemical engineering at Tsinghua University as a worker-peasant-soldier student, Xi advanced politically within China's coastal provinces. He served as the governor of Fujian from 1999 to 2002, and then as the governor and party secretary of neighboring Zhejiang from 2002 to 2007. In 2007, following the dismissal of Shanghai's party secretary Chen Liangyu, Xi was briefly appointed to replace him. That same year, he became a member of the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) of the CCP and was named the first-ranking secretary of the Central Secretariat in October. In 2008, he was identified as Hu Jintao's likely successor as paramount leader. To facilitate this transition, Xi was appointed the eighth vice president and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC). In 2016, he was officially recognized by the CCP with the title of "leadership core."
Xi Jinping has adopted a more assertive foreign policy, especially concerning China's interactions with the United States, the contentious nine-dash line in the South China Sea, and the ongoing Indo-China border dispute. In addition, to promote Chinese economic interests globally, Xi has aimed to enhance China's influence in Africa and Eurasia through the Belt and Road Initiative. His tenure has also been marked by a decline in relations between Beijing and Taipei, particularly under Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who succeeded Ma Ying-jeou, a leader Xi Jinping met in 2015. In 2020, Xi Jinping oversaw the enactment of a national security law in Hong Kong that restricted political opposition, particularly targeting pro-democracy activists in the city.
Since Xi Jinping assumed power, his administration has seen a marked rise in censorship and mass surveillance, alongside a decline in human rights, notably the persecution of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. There has also been the emergence of a cult of personality surrounding his leadership and the abolition of presidential term limits in 2018. Xi's political ideology, referred to as Xi Jinping Thought, has been integrated into both the party and national constitutions. As the leading figure of the fifth generation of leadership in the People's Republic of China (PRC), Xi has concentrated institutional power by holding various roles, which include heading new CCP committees focused on national security, economic and social reforms, military restructuring and modernisation, as well as internet governance.
In October 2022, he secured a third term as General Secretary of the CCP, followed by his re-election as state president for a third term in March 2023.
Personal life[edit]
Family[edit]
Xi Jinping's first marriage was to Ke Lingling, the daughter of Ke Hua, who served as China's ambassador to the United Kingdom in the early 1980s. Their marriage ended in divorce within a few years, reportedly due to frequent conflicts, with Ke later relocating to England. In 1987, Xi married the renowned Chinese folk singer Peng Liyuan. The couple was introduced by mutual friends, a common practice for couples in China during the 1980s. During their courtship, Xi was noted for his academic demeanor, often asking about singing techniques. Peng Liyuan, a prominent figure in Chinese culture, was more widely recognized than Xi until his rise in politics. Their professional commitments often led to them living apart. As China's "first lady," Peng has taken on a more prominent role compared to her predecessors; she notably hosted U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama during her high-profile visit to China in March 2014.
Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, have a daughter named Xi Mingze, who graduated from Harvard University in the spring of 2015. During her time at Harvard, she used a pseudonym while pursuing studies in Psychology and English. The family resides in Jade Spring Hill, a residential and garden area located in north-western Beijing, managed by the Central Military Commission (CMC).
In June 2012, Bloomberg News published a report indicating that members of Xi's extended family had significant business interests; however, there was no evidence to suggest that he had intervened on their behalf. Following the article's release, access to the Bloomberg News website was blocked in mainland China. As Xi Jinping launched an anti-corruption campaign, The New York Times reported that his family members began divesting their corporate and real estate investments starting in 2012. Furthermore, relatives of several high-ranking Chinese officials, including seven current and former senior leaders of the CCP's Politburo, were mentioned in the Panama Papers. This includes Deng Jiagui, Xi's brother-in-law, who had two shell companies registered in the British Virgin Islands while Xi served on the Politburo Standing Committee. These companies became inactive by the time Xi took on the role of general secretary of the CCP in November 2012.
Personality[edit]
Peng Liyuan characterised Xi Jinping as diligent and humble, stating, When he comes home, I've never felt as if there's some leader in the house. To me, he's just my husband. In 1992, journalist Lena H. Sun from The Washington Post interviewed Xi, who was then the CCP secretary of Fuzhou. Sun noted that Xi appeared significantly more relaxed and self-assured compared to many officials of his age, often speaking without referring to notes. A 2011 article in The Washington Post featured descriptions of Xi from those familiar with him, portraying him as "pragmatic, serious, cautious, hard-working, down-to-earth, and low-key." He was recognised for his problem-solving skills and was seen as "seemingly uninterested in the trappings of high office."
Additionally, Chinese state media has depicted him as a fatherly figure and a champion of the people's interests, committed to advocating for China.
Public image[edit]
Assessing public opinion on Xi Jinping in China is challenging due to the absence of independent surveys and strict censorship of social media.[1] Nonetheless, he is generally perceived to be quite popular within the country.[2][3] A 2014 poll conducted by the Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation showed that Xi achieved a domestic approval rating of 9 out of 10.[4] Additionally, a YouGov poll released in July 2019 indicated that approximately 22% of respondents in mainland China identified Xi as the person they admire most, representing a plurality; in contrast, this figure was below 5% among residents of Hong Kong.[5]
In the spring of 2019, the Pew Research Center surveyed confidence in Xi Jinping across six countries—Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea. The results revealed that a median of 29% expressed confidence in Xi to handle global affairs correctly, while 45% reported a lack of confidence. These confidence levels were slightly higher than those for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who had 23% confidence and 53% no confidence.[6]
Furthermore, a 2021 poll by Politico and Morning Consult found that only 5% of Americans held a favorable view of Xi, while 38% viewed him unfavorably. Additionally, 17% had no opinion, and a plurality of 40% had never heard of him.[7]
Notes[edit]
- ↑ Chinese: 习近平; pinyin: Xí Jìnpíng, pronounced [[Help:IPA/Mandarin|[ɕiTemplate:Tone-cmn tɕiTemplate:Tone-cmnn.pʰiTemplate:Tone-cmnŋ]]]; Devanagari: शी² चिन्⁴फिङ्ग्²
Hindi: शी चिन्फिङ्ग्
References[edit]
- ↑ Lin, Liza (13 October 2022). "Do Chinese People Like Xi Jinping? You Won't Find an Easy Answer Online". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ↑ Phillips, Tom (14 October 2017). "Chairman Xi crushes dissent but poor believe he's making China great". The Guardian. ISSN 0029-7712. Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
- ↑ Zhou, Christina; Mantesso, Sean (6 March 2019). "'No room for mercy in this system': Xi Jinping's rise from cave dweller to post-modern chairman". ABC News (Australia). Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
- ↑ Tiezzi, Shannon (20 December 2014). "The World's Most Popular Leader: China's President Xi". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 27 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ↑ Smith, Matthew (18 July 2019). "Michelle Obama is the world's most admired woman". YouGov. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ↑ Silver, Laura; Devlin, Kat; Huang, Christine (5 December 2019). "China's Economic Growth Mostly Welcomed in Emerging Markets, but Neighbors Wary of Its Influence". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ↑ "National Tracking Poll #2103129". Morning Consult and Politico. 19–22 March 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.