- Xi Jinping was born in 1953 in Shaanxi province, China.
- His father was Xi Zhongxun, a senior Chinese Communist Party official who served as a vice premier of China and was an early ally of Mao Zedong. Xi Zhongxun later fell out of favor with the government and faced persecution and imprisonment during the Cultural Revolution before being rehabilitated in the 1970s.
- As the son of Xi Zhongxun, Xi Jinping is regarded as a “princeling,” a term commonly used for the children and descendants of influential senior Communist Party officials. The term can also carry a negative meaning when used to describe people believed to have benefited from political connections or family privilege.
- As a young man, Xi spent six years doing manual labor on an agricultural commune. The experience exposed him to rural life and brought him into close contact with farmers.
- In 1985, Xi spent two weeks in Muscatine, Iowa, as part of a Chinese delegation studying American agricultural technology. His visit later became a notable part of his connection with the United States. He returned to Iowa in 2012 while serving as China’s vice president.
- Xi studied chemical engineering at Tsinghua University in Beijing. He later earned a doctorate in law from the same university.
- Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan, is a prominent Chinese singer who became well known for her career in contemporary and folk music before taking on a more public role as China’s first lady.
- Xi was elected president of China on March 14, 2013. During his leadership, he has also promoted elements of traditional Chinese culture, including the teachings and legacy of Confucius.
- Under Xi’s leadership, Chinese authorities have tightened controls on dissent, political activism and civil society. Human rights organizations and international observers have documented increased restrictions during his tenure.
- At the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2017, Xi presented China as a supporter of economic globalization at a time when protectionist policies and trade restrictions were receiving greater attention internationally.
10 Facts About Chinese President Xi Jinping
Tamoor Ahmed
Tamoor Ahmad has been covering politics since 2022.