Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping (/ˈʃiː dʒɪnˈpɪŋ/, or often /ˈʒiː/; Chinese: 习近平; pinyin: Xí Jìnpíng, pronounced [ɕǐ tɕîn.pʰǐŋ]; born June 15, 1953) is a prominent Chinese politician who has been serving as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) since 2012, making him the paramount leader of China. Additionally, Xi has held the position of president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) since 2013. As a representative of the fifth generation of Chinese leadership, Xi is notably the first CCP general secretary born after the establishment of the PRC.

Xi Jinping Administration

• 2012 election as General Secretary
• 2017 reelection as General Secretary
• 2022 reelection as General Secretary
• New Zhijiang Army

Policies and Theories

• Belt and Road Initiative
• Chinese Dream
• Common prosperity
• Four Confidences
• Four Comprehensives
• Comprehensively Deepening Reforms
• Chinese-style modernization
• Foreign policy
• Eight Musts
• Eight-point Regulation
• Three red lines
• Dual circulation
• New productive forces
• Targeted Poverty Alleviation
• Two Establishes and Two Upholds
• Xi Jinping Thought
• Culture
• Diplomacy
• Holistic security concept
• Personality cult
• Party media takes the party's last name
• Three Stricts and Three Honests
• Two Centenaries
• Wolf warrior diplomacy
• Whole-process people's democracy

Key Events

• Anti-corruption campaign
• 709 crackdown
• Persecution of Uyghurs in China
• Xinjiang internment camps
• China–US trade war
• 2019–20 Hong Kong protests
• COVID-19 pandemic response
• CCP centenary
• Historical resolution
• 2020–2021 reform spree
• 2022 Hong Kong visit

Diplomatic Activities

• Xi–Chu meeting
• Xi–Ma meeting
• Xi–Kim meetings
• 2015 Pakistan visit
• 2015 United States visit
• 2015 United Kingdom visit
• 2019 Italy and France visit
• CPC and World Political Parties Summit
• 2023 Russia visit
• 2024 France, Serbia, and Hungary visit
• Speech series
• Governance of China

Xi Jinping is the son of Xi Zhongxun, a veteran of the Chinese Communist Party. During the Cultural Revolution, following his father's purge, Xi was exiled to rural Yanchuan County. There, he lived in a yaodong in Liangjiahe village, Shaanxi province, where he joined the CCP after several failed attempts and served as the local party secretary. Xi studied chemical engineering at Tsinghua University as a worker-peasant-soldier student. He then advanced through the political ranks in China's coastal provinces, serving as the governor of Fujian from 1999 to 2002 and subsequently as the governor and party secretary of Zhejiang from 2002 to 2007. Following the dismissal of Shanghai's party secretary, Chen Liangyu, Xi was transferred to replace him briefly in 2007. Later that year, he joined the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) of the CCP and became the first-ranking secretary of the Central Secretariat. In 2008, he was designated as Hu Jintao's presumed successor as paramount leader, becoming vice president of the PRC and vice chairman of the CMC. In 2016, he officially received the title of leadership core from the CCP.

Xi Jinping was born into a prominent political family; his father, Xi Zhongxun, was a revolutionary veteran and a former Vice Premier. Despite his elite background, Xi's early life was fraught with challenges, particularly during the Cultural Revolution. At the age of 15, Xi was sent to work in the rural village of Liangjiahe in Shaanxi province as part of Mao Zedong's Down to the Countryside Movement. This period of hardship and manual labor significantly shaped his worldview and political philosophy. Xi joined the CPC in 1974, and after the Cultural Revolution, he was able to pursue higher education, studying chemical engineering at Tsinghua University in Beijing. He later obtained a doctorate in Marxist theory, further solidifying his ideological foundations.

Xi Jinping's political career began at the grassroots level, with his early roles in Hebei province. He subsequently held various leadership positions across China, including Fujian, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. These roles provided him with extensive administrative experience and a deep understanding of different regions' socio-economic dynamics.

Xi's rise within the CPC was marked by a reputation for being pragmatic, incorruptible, and efficient. In 2007, he was appointed to the Politburo Standing Committee, the party's highest decision-making body. This appointment set the stage for his eventual succession to the top leadership positions.

In 2012, Xi was elected General Secretary of the CPC, marking the beginning of his central leadership role. His presidency, which began in 2013, has been characterized by efforts to centralize power, promote economic reforms, and enhance China's global standing. Notable initiatives include the Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at expanding China's economic influence through infrastructure investments worldwide, and a rigorous anti-corruption campaign targeting high-ranking officials.

Xi Jinping's legacy is likely to be multifaceted and deeply influential in shaping China's trajectory. Domestically, his tenure is marked by the consolidation of power and the reassertion of the CPC's central role in Chinese society. His anti-corruption campaign has significantly altered the political landscape, rooting out corruption at various levels of government and enhancing the party's control.

Economically, Xi has overseen efforts to transition China from an export-driven economy to one driven by domestic consumption and innovation. His emphasis on technological advancements and self-reliance reflects a strategic shift in response to global economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions, particularly with the United States.

Internationally, Xi's assertive foreign policy has positioned China as a formidable global player. The Belt and Road Initiative, a cornerstone of his foreign policy, aims to create a vast network of trade and infrastructure projects across Asia, Africa, and Europe, thereby enhancing China's global influence. Additionally, his leadership has seen a more assertive stance in territorial disputes, particularly in the South China Sea, and a robust defense modernization program.

Looking to the future, Xi's leadership is expected to continue emphasizing national rejuvenation and the "Chinese Dream." His vision for China involves achieving a "moderately prosperous society" and securing the country's status as a leading global power by the mid-21st century. However, this vision faces significant challenges, including economic headwinds, demographic changes, and increasing international scrutiny and competition.

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