With
a revolutionary hero for a father and a pop star for a wife, China’s new leader
Xi Jinping has impeccable political pedigree but has given few clues about how
he will govern the country. Xi, 59, walked into the Great Hall of
the People in Beijing Thursday as general-secretary of the Chinese Communist
Party, the most powerful position in the world’s most populous country and
second-biggest economy. He is expected to become national
president in March and hold both posts for the next decade.
He has risen to the top of the
secretive party by presenting himself as a compromise candidate — acceptable to
outgoing leader Hu Jintao, still-influential former president Jiang Zemin, and
other power-brokers.
But since he has largely kept his
policy leanings to himself, how he will address China’s challenges remains
unclear — even though he takes over at an uncertain time, with growth slowing
as public expectations and scrutiny rise.
policy leanings to himself, how he will address China’s challenges remains
unclear — even though he takes over at an uncertain time, with growth slowing
as public expectations and scrutiny rise.
Xi has avoided revealing any leanings
that might threaten his status as a consensus candidate, backing
non-controversial policies and positions during his rise up the party ranks,
said China political analyst Willy Lam.
that might threaten his status as a consensus candidate, backing
non-controversial policies and positions during his rise up the party ranks,
said China political analyst Willy Lam.
“He’s a team player. He played by the
rules of the party. He’s not a risk-taker. He doesn’t want to take risks that
might jeopardise his career.”
rules of the party. He’s not a risk-taker. He doesn’t want to take risks that
might jeopardise his career.”
Whatever his beliefs, few expect Xi to
stray far from the Communist template of gradually opening the economy while
maintaining tight political controls, especially as he will need to first
consolidate power, a slow process faced by all incoming Chinese leaders.
stray far from the Communist template of gradually opening the economy while
maintaining tight political controls, especially as he will need to first
consolidate power, a slow process faced by all incoming Chinese leaders.
Nonetheless he is seen as a cautious
and skilful politician, able to navigate the factional divides of the party
hierarchy.
and skilful politician, able to navigate the factional divides of the party
hierarchy.
Xi, a slightly plump figure typically
seen on state television with a deadpan expression, rose up the party ranks
mainly on China’s fast-growing eastern seaboard.
seen on state television with a deadpan expression, rose up the party ranks
mainly on China’s fast-growing eastern seaboard.
As the son of the late Xi Zhongxun, a
respected Communist elder, he is part of the “princeling” generation — the
privileged offspring of hallowed figures who played key roles in the revolution
that brought the party to power in 1949.
respected Communist elder, he is part of the “princeling” generation — the
privileged offspring of hallowed figures who played key roles in the revolution
that brought the party to power in 1949.
Despite this pedigree, Xi Jinping was
“sent down” to the Chinese countryside to live and work alongside peasants, as
were many young educated Chinese during Mao Zedong’s 1966-76 Cultural
Revolution.
“sent down” to the Chinese countryside to live and work alongside peasants, as
were many young educated Chinese during Mao Zedong’s 1966-76 Cultural
Revolution.
His father fought alongside Mao and
served as vice-premier until he fell in one of Mao’s political purges, then was
rehabilitated under pragmatic former top leader Deng Xiaoping.
served as vice-premier until he fell in one of Mao’s political purges, then was
rehabilitated under pragmatic former top leader Deng Xiaoping.
While labouring in the poor northern
province of Shaanxi, Xi joined the Communist Party and in 1975 moved to Beijing
to study at the prestigious Tsinghua University.
province of Shaanxi, Xi joined the Communist Party and in 1975 moved to Beijing
to study at the prestigious Tsinghua University.
He oversaw some of China’s most
economically dynamic and reform-minded areas, the eastern provinces of Fujian
and Zhejiang, before briefly taking the top post in the commercial hub of
Shanghai in 2007 — earning a reputation as a supporter of economic reforms and
an effective manager.
economically dynamic and reform-minded areas, the eastern provinces of Fujian
and Zhejiang, before briefly taking the top post in the commercial hub of
Shanghai in 2007 — earning a reputation as a supporter of economic reforms and
an effective manager.
He created a stir during a 2009 speech
in Mexico by scoffing at “foreigners with full bellies and nothing to do but
criticise our affairs” — many Chinese harbour resentment against the West — but
he has unusually deep US links for a Chinese leader.
in Mexico by scoffing at “foreigners with full bellies and nothing to do but
criticise our affairs” — many Chinese harbour resentment against the West — but
he has unusually deep US links for a Chinese leader.
As part of a research trip in 1985 he
spent time in Muscatine, Iowa, deep in the Midwest, and paid his host family a
return visit in February while on an official visit to the United States, where
his daughter is a student at Harvard.
spent time in Muscatine, Iowa, deep in the Midwest, and paid his host family a
return visit in February while on an official visit to the United States, where
his daughter is a student at Harvard.
A reputed basketball fan, Xi also took
in an NBA game, while a diplomatic cable released on whistle-blower site
WikiLeaks recounted a 2007 conversation between Clark Randt, the then US
ambassador to China, and Xi that revealed the future president as a big fan of
US World War II films.
in an NBA game, while a diplomatic cable released on whistle-blower site
WikiLeaks recounted a 2007 conversation between Clark Randt, the then US
ambassador to China, and Xi that revealed the future president as a big fan of
US World War II films.
The cables described Xi as pragmatic
yet ambitious, willing to tilt with the political winds to get ahead.
yet ambitious, willing to tilt with the political winds to get ahead.
They said he was uncorrupted by money
yet with a sense of political entitlement, feeling that fellow “princelings”
like him “deserve to rule China”.
yet with a sense of political entitlement, feeling that fellow “princelings”
like him “deserve to rule China”.
His extended family have business
interests worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to an investigation
by the Bloomberg news agency earlier this year, which said there was no
indication of wrongdoing on his or their part.
interests worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to an investigation
by the Bloomberg news agency earlier this year, which said there was no
indication of wrongdoing on his or their part.
Xi’s public persona is given a
sprinkle of glamour by his wife Peng Liyuan, who holds the rank of army general
and sings songs praising the party.
sprinkle of glamour by his wife Peng Liyuan, who holds the rank of army general
and sings songs praising the party.
Some analysts suggest Xi’s status as a
consensus figure could mean less paralysis between factions than under Hu, who
heads a group of leaders who moved up through the Communist Youth League.
consensus figure could mean less paralysis between factions than under Hu, who
heads a group of leaders who moved up through the Communist Youth League.
But the curtain drawn across the party
and its leaders makes that impossible to predict, said Patrick Chovanec, a
Tsinghua University professor.
and its leaders makes that impossible to predict, said Patrick Chovanec, a
Tsinghua University professor.
“It would have been counterproductive
for (Xi) when he was still relatively junior to show himself. The reason he has
got ahead is because he is a follower and has not struck out and done something
that is radically different,” he said.
for (Xi) when he was still relatively junior to show himself. The reason he has
got ahead is because he is a follower and has not struck out and done something
that is radically different,” he said.
