Xi Jinping
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Xi Jinping

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Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping was elected general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and chairman of the Central Military Commission at the 18th Party Congress in 2012. He succeeded Hu Jintao as leader of the Communist Party and was elected president in March 2013. In 2018, the National People's Congress, China's parliament, abolished the term limits of the presidency effectively allowing him to stay in power for life. Born in 1953, Xi graduated from Tsinghua University in 1979 with a degree in engineering.
Born
15 Jun 1953
Industry
Politics
Job Title
President of China
Open Questions series

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

7
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

videocam
5
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

videocam
18
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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93
Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

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29
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Illustration: Henry Wong
Taiwan

How Beijing’s strategy shift explains decreased PLA activity in the Taiwan Strait

PLA warplanes and ships have been less active around the island in the second half of the year, Taiwanese data shows.

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SCMP Highlights

China, Russia clash with US at UN; Taipei mayor visit: SCMP daily highlights

China’s Communist Party

Top PLA Air Force duo miss key military event led by Xi as graft fight rolls on

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China-Russia relations

China, Russia partnership ‘stronger than ever’ despite Western sanctions: envoy

Moscow’s ambassador tells Beijing forum that relations between the two countries have reached their ‘highest level in history’.

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Igor Morgulov, the Russian ambassador to China, addresses a forum at Renmin University on Tuesday. Photo: Handout
China manufacturing

China’s Xi urges state giants to be pillars of national development

The president instructs central SOEs to drive industrial upgrading while securing critical technologies and supply chains in the face of geopolitical risks.

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Diplomacy

China needs ‘original’ knowledge system on border history to counter West, scholar says

Fan Enshi from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences also warns about the threat of ‘de-Sinicisation’ in US-led historical perspectives.

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US-China trade war

Explainer | Will US-led ‘Pax Silica’ be a new dawn for the international AI supply chain?

Trump administration aims for deeper technology cooperation on new AI infrastructure with allies.

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Representatives of the “Pax Silica” signatories hold signed documents at a summit held in Washington on December 12. The initiative is America’s new vision for the international AI supply chain. Photo: Getty Images/AFP
US-China relations

Beijing is pinning hopes for Taiwan reunification on KMT – but not all of them

The party’s new chairwoman Cheng Li-wun has adopted a mainland-friendly tone but it remains to be seen if she can live up to Beijing’s hopes.

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US-China relations

Opinion | US and China must get serious about AI risk

It would be irresponsible for Washington and Beijing to race ahead without engaging each other on the dangers – or the immense opportunities – AI presents.

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US-China trade war

‘Bad policy’: China’s drone makers to shrug off US ban, analysts say

The addition of foreign drone makers, including those from China, to a US trade blacklist is unlikely to heat up relations, observers said.

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Dai Shuying operates a plant protection drone under the guidance of her grandson Wang Tiantian in east China’s Anhui province. Photo: Xinhua
Belarus

Opinion | Can Belarus balance relations with Russia, China and the US?

Minsk aims to rebalance its foreign policy towards Beijing and Washington but geopolitical realities prevent a full break from Russia.

In this photo released by the Belarusian Presidential Press Service, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (second right) greets Keith Kellogg, the US Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia (left) before their meeting in Minsk, Belarus, on June 21. Photo: Handout via AP
Year in Review

SCMP Plus Year in Review 2025: China

As the year comes to a close, SCMP Plus highlights the biggest China-related stories of the year.

China-Russia relations

Russian LNG shipments to China surge 143% in November, overtaking Australia

Russian LNG accounted for 23.5 per cent of China’s total shipments, cementing Russia as its top energy partner after President Xi pledged deeper ties.

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US-China relations

‘Urgent’: has mainland China changed tone for Taiwan peaceful reunification?

Analysts examine Taiwan-related policy announcements, a new commemoration day and military posturing for clues to Beijing’s intent.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Mainland China

Xi promotes PLA commanders overseeing Taiwan Strait, Beijing to full general

Announcements suggest the dust has begun to settle following a massive purge in the military over corruption concerns.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (front row, second from left), who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, and other leaders pose for a photo with the promoted military officers in Beijing on Monday. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong economy

Bridge work starts as Hong Kong opens tech park in cross-border innovation hub

City leader says bridge will open up transport networks of cooperation zone and promote cross-border talent flow and integration.

Year in Review

10 most read Daily Pulse briefings of 2025

SCMP Plus looks back at the year’s 10 most popular Daily Pulse bulletins, covering China issues related to diplomacy, trade and economics.

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China-South Korea relations

Blackpink for Ayumi? Why China may reward South Korea’s soft stance on Japan row

Beijing is reviving stalled trade talks with Seoul as the Lee administration breaks with Tokyo on Taiwan, and analysts say Chinese market access could be the geopolitical prize.

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Members of Blackpink perform at a 2023 concert in California. Photo: Getty Images for Coachella
TikTok

Editorial | TikTok deal could show way forward for US-China engagement

The agreement, under which the platform will become a joint venture controlled by a consortium of investors, highlights the importance of negotiation and mutual respect.

US-China relations

Rubio swaps hawk for diplomat in year-end pivot on China

Top US envoy eschews ‘pacing threat’ label, stressing cooperation and Western hemisphere priorities for 2026.

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China economy

Opinion | Why China is cracking down on ‘involution’

Involution is a structural phenomenon with both domestic and global implications that China’s leaders are dedicated to addressing.

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An employee stands next to solar modules at a solar energy technology company in Huaian, in China’s Jiangsu province, on December 17. Photo: AFP
China's military weapons

Chinese military tightens review of weapons pricing to fight corruption

CMC Equipment Development Department releases new rules amid push for quality equipment and ‘professional ethics’.

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New procurement rules for the Chinese military dictate that troops should receive weapons and equipment that are combat-oriented, high quality and offer advanced performance. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong society

Editorial | Hong Kong right to strike a balance on New Year’s events

In the wake of the deadly fire, cancelling the fireworks display while going ahead with some events is sensible even as investigations into the tragedy continue.

US-China relations

US arms deal supports Taiwan’s effort to reassure Trump on defence burden

Weapons package underpins Taipei’s move towards an asymmetric ‘porcupine’ strategy as Washington presses allies to do more.

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US-China trade war

China reportedly sticking to its soybean deal with US, but worries remain

Beijing secures 7 million tonnes of soybeans, passing halfway mark of its US purchase agreement. However, little has been shipped so far.

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China secures 7 million tonnes of soybeans, passing halfway mark of its US purchase agreement. Photo: The Minnesota Star Tribune/TNS
US-China relations

As Trump upends US foreign policy, analysts see fresh openings for China

After a turbulent year, experts expect continued disruption to reshape global influence, testing alliances and altering the balance of power.

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Illustration: Brian Wang
China trade

China jails antimony smugglers in tough stance on critical minerals

Dozens convicted of illegally shipping 166 tonnes of the strategic material, marking a major enforcement of Beijing’s export controls.

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China-Asean relations

Cambodia and Thailand tell China’s Wang Yi they’re willing to cease fire

Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers brief Chinese counterpart on border conflict, while Beijing vows to ‘serve as a bridge’.

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