Table of Contents
Xi Jinping’s leadership has had a significant impact on China’s domestic and international affairs.
As China’s paramount leader, he has implemented a range of policies aimed at strengthening the party’s control and promoting China’s national interests.
Xi Iinping’s Biography
Xi Jinping is a Chinese politician who has been the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and therefore China’s supreme leader, since 2012.
Xi Jinping was born in Beijing, China, on June 15, 1953. His father, Xi Zhongxun, was a revolutionary hero and one of the CCP’s founding members, and he came from a notable political family.
During the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s, however, Xi’s father fell out of favour and was expelled from the party.
As a result, Xi was transferred to rural Yanchuan County in Shaanxi province at the age of 15 for “reeducation” and lived in a yaodong, a traditional cave home.
After several failed attempts, Xi joined the CCP during his stay in Yanchuan County.
He obtained knowledge at the grassroots level while working as a local party secretary. Xi later went on to study chemical engineering as a worker-peasant-soldier student at Tsinghua University, a programme aimed at developing future leaders.
This educational experience aided Xi’s knowledge of the issues confronting the working class and rural populace.
Xi began his political career in China’s coastal provinces after graduating from Tsinghua University. From 1999 to 2002, he was the governor of Fujian, where he concentrated on economic development and strengthening trade links with neighbouring nations.
Following his success in Fujian, Xi was appointed governor and party secretary of Zhejiang from 2002 to 2007. Xi adopted efforts to encourage foreign investment and improve the economic environment while in Zhejiang.
Xi was sent to Shanghai in 2007 to replace the ousted party secretary, Chen Liangyu.
This nomination represented a watershed moment in Xi’s career, as he was appointed to the Politburo Standing Committee, the CCP’s top decision-making body.
He also became the first secretary of the Central Secretariat, which increased his power inside the party.
In 2008, Xi was named as the likely successor to China’s then-prime minister, Hu Jintao.
He was chosen vice president of the People’s Republic of China and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, paving the way for him to become China’s future leader.
Xi has implemented a series of measures to tighten party discipline and solidify his influence over the party and the military since taking power in 2012.
His anti-corruption effort has been particularly remarkable, as it has resulted in the demise of a number of high-ranking officials, including former members of the Politburo Standing Committee.
Xi has also pursued a more robust foreign policy, attempting to increase China’s worldwide influence.
He has been an outspoken supporter of the Belt and Road Initiative, a vast infrastructure project aimed at increasing economic connectivity throughout Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Xi has also adopted a harsh line on South China Sea territorial disputes and has worked to boost China’s military capabilities.
Within China, Xi has emphasised the significance of attaining “common prosperity” and lowering income inequality.
He has initiated targeted poverty-relief programmes and attempted to overhaul the real estate market. Critics claim, however, that these measures have resulted in a crackdown on the private sector and greater state control over the economy.
Xi’s leadership style has been described as authoritarian, with an emphasis on establishing his own power and encouraging party loyalty.
He has presided over increased censorship and mass surveillance, as well as a decline in human rights. Xi Jinping’s Thoughts, or Xi’s political beliefs and ideals, have been incorporated in the party and national constitutions.
In October 2022, Xi was reelected for a third term as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, a position previously held by only Mao Zedong.
He was re-elected as President of the People’s Republic of China for a third term in March 2023, becoming the first leader to do so.
Xi Jinping’s Children
Xi Jinping is the father of only one child by the name of Xi Mingze. Xi Mingze, popularly known as Xiao Muzi, is the daughter of Chinese President Xi Jinping and singer Peng Liyuan.
She was born on June 25, 1992, and she keeps a low profile. Little is known about her personal life. Xi studied French in high school before enrolling at Harvard University, where she earned a degree in psychology in 2014.
She has appeared in public with her parents and has expressed an interest in reading and fashion. However, her personal information was exposed in 2019, sparking outrage and following legal action.
