On October 18, 2010, Vice President of China Xi Jinping was made Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission paving the way for him to succeed Hu Jintao as Party General Secretary in 2012 and President of the country a year later. The decision was taken at the Fifth Plenum of 17th Central Committee meeting of the Chinese Communist Party.
Xi belongs to an elite class. His father, Xi Zhongxun, (1913-2002), was a Vice Premier and one of the founders of the ‘resistance’ armies in North China. He was also the architect of China’s special economic zones that have played a significant role in making China a manufacturers’ hub. Senior Xi fell out of favour with Mao for a short while but managed to crawl his way back to prestigious positions.
Like President Hu Jintao, Xi Junior is an alumnus of the elite Tsingua University, where he graduated in Electrical Engineering. He did his post-graduation with an on-job course at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Later on he did a doctoral degree in Law.
Between 1982 and 2002, Xi Jinping worked in the Fujian province in various capacities and rose to become the Acting Governor. Shifted to Zhejiang Province in 2002, he concurrently served as Acting Governor of the province and Deputy Secretary (later on Secretary) of the CCP Provincial Committee. In January 2003, he became Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Zhejiang Peoples’ Congress.
A clear signal that Xi has been spotted by the central leadership came four years later in March 2007, when he was sent to Shanghai as party secretary. He filled the vacancy created by the exit of Chen Lian Gyu, who was sacked for his anti-party activities. The 117th Party Congress held in October the very same year elevated him as the sixth ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee (PBSC). He was also made member of the CCPC Secretariat and put in-charge of the Central Coordinating Committee for Hong Kong and Macao. A month later in November 2007, he became Head of the Central Leading Group for party building work in which capacity he was to oversee all party affairs.
Xi’s talent in organising and coordinating economic developmental activities was on display during his 17-year stint in Fujian, where he is credited to have encouraged better public services for increasing trade between Fujian and Taiwan. With his trade mark efficiency, he epitomizes the Chinese phrase, ‘Ma Shang Jiu Ban’ (Go and handle it). Xi is known for zero tolerance on corruption, and is described as charismatic and man of action.
He was widely liked by a cross-section of the old guard of Politburo Standing Committee including Zhu Rongji, Li Peng and Li Ruihuan. Former Party chief Jiang Zemin also likes him and played a role in his rise though Xi is relatively junior.
Xi Jinping has shown considerable interest and involvement in military matters and foreign affairs. It dates back to the time he had a short stint in the Central Military Commission more than two decades ago. Between 1979 and 1982, he was an officer in `active service’ in CMC’s General Office and in that role, he served as Secretary at the CMC’s State Council.
Taking over as China’s Vice President in March 2008, the news helmsman in the making took interest in foreign affairs and undertook a world tour meeting top leaders of various countries. He did much more on the foreign front than Hu Jintao did as Vice President. It was only after he became PBSC member that Xi really started asserting himself. In November 2007, he held discussions in Beijing with the visiting Singapore’s elder statesman, Le Kuan Yau. He visited Mexico in 2010 where he had hit out at China baiters saying, “Foreigners with full stomachs have nothing better to do than point fingers at us”.
Xi Jinping’s second wife Peng Liyuan is a popular folk singer. She came to limelight in the 1990s, and is currently attached to the PLA’s GDPs song and dance troupe. Ahead of Xi’s visit to Japan in December 2009, Peng was sent to Tokyo at the head of a 120- member strong PLA song and dance contingent. She was an instant hit. She continues to be quite popular in Japan today though the bilateral relations have nose dived in recent months. The Chinese musicians association selected Pang as Vice Chairperson at a national conference held in Beijing recently. Her popularity has contributed to the meteoric rise of Xi in the party and power structure.
