Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping is a Chinese politician who has served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2012, and President of the People's Republic of China since 2013. 

Born: 15 June 1953 (age 67 years), Beijing, China

Previous office: Vice President of the People's Republic of China (2008–2013)

Office: Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China since 2013

Spouse: Peng Liyuan (m. 1987), Ke Lingling (m. 1979–1982)

Education: Tsinghua University (1998–2002), Tsinghua University (1975–1979), Beijing 101 Middle School

Children: Xi Mingze

The son of Chinese Communist veteran Xi Zhongxun, he was exiled to rural Yanchuan County as a teenager following his father's purge during the Cultural Revolution, and lived in a cave in the village of Liangjiahe, where he worked as the party secretary. After studying chemical engineering at Tsinghua University as a "Worker-Peasant-Soldier student", Xi rose through the ranks politically in China's coastal provinces. Xi was Governor of Fujian from 1999 to 2002, before becoming Governor and Party Secretary of neighbouring Zhejiang from 2002 to 2007. Following the dismissal of the Party Secretary of Shanghai, Chen Liangyu, Xi was transferred to replace him for a brief period in 2007. He subsequently joined the Politburo Standing Committee and Central Secretariat in October 2007. In 2008 he was designated as Hu Jintao's presumed successor as paramount leader; to that end, Xi was appointed Vice President of the People's Republic of China and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Xi is the first General Secretary born after the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Since assuming power, Xi has introduced far-ranging measures to enforce party discipline and to impose internal unity. His anti-corruption campaign has led to the downfall of prominent incumbent and retired Communist Party officials, including members of the Politburo Standing Committee. He has also enacted or promoted a more assertive foreign policy, particularly with regard to China–Japan relations, China's claims in the South China Sea, and its advocacy for free trade and globalization. He has sought to expand China's African and Eurasian influence through the Belt and Road Initiative.

On 15 November 2012, Xi was elected to the posts of general secretary of the Communist Party and chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission by the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.