China’s shadowy ideology chief steps out from behind the curtains to address internet conference
Wang Huning makes rare public speech calling for ‘more balanced’ set of rules at state-run conference on the internet
After decades working behind the scenes, Wang Huning, the mastermind behind China’s official ideology for the past quarter of a century, has made a rare public appearance to give the keynote speech at a state-run internet conference near Shanghai.
A top policy adviser to China’s past three presidents – Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping – Wang, 62, has made few public utterances despite his role as ghost writer and global strategist for the Communist Party’s leadership over the past two decades.
Wang’s speech to the World Internet Conference on Sunday came just weeks after he secured a seat on the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee.
As the most senior political figure at the event, which Apple chief executive Tim Cook and Google boss Sundar Pichai also attended, Wang’s presence appeared to be further confirmation that the new number five in the party’s hierarchy will take care of ideological control.
Wang addressed state journalists and political advisers last month, but these two speeches were not open to non-official media.
