State media or state-owned media is media for mass communication which is ultimately controlled and/or funded by the state.^[1] These news outlets may be the sole media outlet or may exist in competition with privately controlled media.

Overview[link]

The term state media is often used in contrast to private or independent media, which has no direct control from any political party.^[2] Its content is usually more prescriptive, telling the audience what to think, particularly as it is under no pressure to attract high ratings or generate advertising revenue.^[3] In more controlled regions, the state may censor content which it deems illegal, immoral or unfavourable to the government and likewise regulate any programming related to the media; therefore, it is not independent of the governing party.^[4] In this type of environment, journalists may be required to be members or affiliated with the ruling party, such as in the former Soviet Union or North Korea.^[3] Within countries that have high levels of government interference in the media, it may use the state press for propaganda purposes:

• to promote the regime in a favourable light,
• vilify opposition to the government by launching smear campaigns or
• giving skewed coverage to opposition views, or
• act as a mouthpiece to advocate a regime's ideology.

Additionally, the state-controlled media may only report on legislation after it has already become law to stifle any debate.^[5] The media legimitises its presence by emphasising "national unity" against domestic or foreign "aggressors".^[6] In more open and competitive contexts, the state may control or fund its own outlet and is in competition with opposition-controlled and/or independent media. The state media usually have less government control in more open societies and can provide more balanced coverage than media outside of state control.^[7]

State media outlets usually enjoy increased funding and subsides compared to private media counterparts, but this can create inefficiency in the state media.^[8] However in the People's Republic of China, where state control of the media is high, levels of funding have been reduced for state outlets, which have forced the Party media to sidestep official restrictions on content or publish "soft" editions, such as weekend editions, to generate income.^[9]

Theories of state ownership[link]

Two contrasting theories of state control of the media exist; the public interest or Pigouvian theory states that government ownership is beneficial, whereas the public choice theory suggests that state control undermines economic and political freedoms.

Public interest theory[link]

The public interest theory, also referred to as the Pigouvian theory^[10] states that government ownership of media is desirable.^[11] Three reasons are offered as to why. The first reason is that the dissemination of information is a public good, and to withhold it would be costly, even if it is not paid for. Secondly, the cost of the provision and dissemination of information is high, however once costs are incurred, marginal costs for providing the information are low and are therefore subject to increasing returns.^[12] Finally, state media ownership can be less biased, more complete and accurate if consumers are ignorant and in addition to private media which would serve the governing classes.^[12] However, Pigouvian economists, who advocate regulation and nationalisation, are supportive of free and private media.^[13]

Public choice theory[link]

The public choice theory asserts that state-owned media would manipulate and distort information in favour of the ruling party and entrench its rule while preventing the public from making informed decisions, therefore undermining democratic institutions.^[12] This would prevent private and independent media, which provide alternate voices allowing individuals to choose politicians, goods, services etc. without fear from functioning. Additionally, this would inhibit competition among media firms which ensures consumers usually acquire unbiased, accurate information.^[12] Moreover, this competition is part of a checks-and-balances system of a democracy, known as the Fourth Estate, along with the judiciary, executive and legislative.^[12]

Determinants of state control[link]

Both theories have implications regarding the determinants and consequences of ownership of the media.^[14] The public interest theory suggests that more benign governments should higher levels of control of the media which would in turn increase press freedom as well as economic and political freedoms. Conversely, the public choice theory affirms that the opposite is true - "public spirited", benevolent governments should have less control which would increase these freedoms.^[15]

Generally, state ownership of the media is found in poor, autocratic non-democratic countries with highly interventionist governments that have some interest in controlling the flow of information.^[16] Countries with "weak" governments do not possess the political will to break up state media monopolies.^[17] Media control is also usually consistent with state ownership in the economy.^[18]

The press in most of Europe (with the exception of Belarus) is mostly private and free of state control and ownership, along with North and South America.^[19] The press in the United States, Canada and Australia has always been the responsibility of the private commercial sector since its inception.^[20] Levels of state ownership are higher in some African countries, the Middle East and some Asian countries (with the exception of Japan, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand where large areas of private press exist.) Full state monopolies exist in Burma and North Korea.^[19]

Consequences of state ownership[link]

Press freedom[link]

Freedom of the press worldwide as of 2009, according to Reporters Without Borders. Levels of state control in the media is usually associated with levels of political, civil and economic rights, though this is not always the case.

"Worse outcomes" are associated with higher levels of state ownership of the media, which would reject Pigouvian theory.^[21] The news media are more independent and fewer journalists are arrested, detained or harassed in countries with less state control.^[22] Harassment, imprisonment and higher levels of internet censorship occur in countries with high levels of state ownership such as Belarus, Burma, China, Iran, Syria, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.^[22][23] However, this is not always true: journalists in countries that possess media free from state control such as Turkey, Nigeria and Kenya are still subject to harassment and threats.^[22] Some democracies do jail journalists, such as Russia and South Korea, whilst some "near democracies", such as Ethiopia and Zambia, do not.^[24] In a similar vein, the public broadcaster in the United Kingdom, the BBC, although funded by the public license fee and government, is independent of state control, this is questionable however.^[25] Countries with a total state monopoly in the media like North Korea and Laos experience a "Castro effect", where state control is powerful enough that no journalistic harassment is required in order to restrict press freedom.^[22]

Civil and political rights[link]

The public interest theory claims state ownership of the press enhances civil and political rights; whilst under the public choice theory, it curtails them by suppressing public oversight of the government and facilitating political corruption. High to absolute government control of the media is primarily associated with lower levels of political and civil rights, higher levels of corruption, quality of regulation, security of property and media bias.^[23][26] Independent media sees higher oversight by the media of the government (for example, increased reporting of corruption in Mexico, Ghana and Kenya after restrictions were lifted in the 1990s, whilst government-controlled media defended officials.)^[27][28]

Economic freedom[link]

More independent media may benefit the public economically compared to state media.^[28] The media would supply more accurate information to improve the markets, which are particularly sensitive to information, allowing insight into corporate abuse of power and pricing of securities, leading to better performance and regulation.^[28] Additionally, the public are better informed as to limiting whether the government is able to hurt them economically.^[28] In contrast, higher levels of ownership of state media would show the opposite - weaker property security and lower quality of regulation.^[28] It is also common for countries with strict control of newspapers to have fewer firms listed per capita on their markets^[29] and less developed banking systems.^[30] These findings support the public choice theory, which suggests higher levels of state ownership of the press would be detrimental to economic and financial development.^[23]

See also[link]

• Freedom of the press
• Media transparency

Notes[link]

References[link]

Brian Williams
Williams at the 2011 Time 100 gala
Born	Brian Douglas Williams (1959-05-05) May 5, 1959 (age 53) Ridgewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	Brookdale Community College George Washington University The Catholic University of America
Occupation	News Anchor and Managing Editor of NBC Nightly News
Years active	1981–present
Notable credit(s)	NBC News reporter (1993–2004) NBC Nightly News weekend anchor (1993–1999) NBC Nightly News anchor (2004–present)
Salary	$10 million annually[1]
Spouse	Jane Gillan Stoddard Williams[2]
Website
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3667173/

Brian Douglas Williams (born May 5, 1959) is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004.^[2] Williams was listed among Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2007,^[3] and in 2010, a prominent media observer dubbed him "the Walter Cronkite of the 21st century."^[4]

Early life[link]

Williams was reared in a middle-class Irish Catholic home.^[5] His father, Gordon L. Williams, was an executive vice president of the National Retail Merchants Association, in New York.^[6] During childhood, his family moved from his birthplace, Ridgewood, New Jersey,^[7] to Elmira, New York. He lived in Elmira for ten years before moving to Middletown, New Jersey, when he was in junior high school.^[8]

He graduated from Mater Dei High School, a Roman Catholic high school in the New Monmouth section of Middletown.^[9] While in high school, he was a volunteer firefighter for three years at the Middletown Township Fire Department. His first job was as a busboy at Perkins Pancake House.^[10]

After high school Wiliams attended Brookdale Community College, after which he transferred to The Catholic University of America, and then The George Washington University.^[11] He did not graduate, and instead interned with the administration of President Jimmy Carter. He now calls leaving college one of his "great regrets".^[12] Brian Williams completed a total of 18 college credits."^[13]

Early career[link]

After working in the lobbying arm of the National Association of Broadcasters, Williams began his broadcasting career at KOAM-TV in Joplin, Missouri in 1981.^[14] A year later he moved back to Washington, D.C. and worked at WTTG as general assignment reporter. Williams joined NBC News from WCBS-TV in New York in 1993 and became the network's chief White House correspondent in 1994. In 1996, Williams began anchoring The News with Brian Williams on MSNBC and rebroadcast on CNBC.

[edit] Nightly News

Williams became anchor of NBC Nightly News on December 2, 2004, and his first year in that post was marked by coverage of two disasters: the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. NBC personnel felt that the program became his program (rather than predecessor Tom Brokaw's) with his coverage of the tsunami,^[15] and his reporting on Katrina, including from inside the New Orleans Superdome, was given praise by industry observers.^[16] His work helped earn NBC a Peabody Award,^[17] the Peabody committee concluding that Williams and the Nightly News staff "exemplified the highest levels of journalistic excellence in reporting on Hurricane Katrina."^[18]

Nightly News fell behind ABC's World News in the first half of 2007. Nightly News regained the lead later in the year^[19] and expanded it beginning in the fall of 2008.^[20] Williams was compared by Jon Friedman of Marketwatch to Walter Cronkite.^[4]

When Williams succeeded Tom Brokaw as anchor of NBC Nightly News, his annual salary was reported to be $8 million,^[21] and by October 2006, it had reportedly increased to $10 million.^[1] He occasionally fills in for Lester Holt on weekends when needed.

On Sunday, May 1, 2011, Williams anchored a simulcast between all NBC affiliates and MSNBC covering the death of Osama bin Laden, going on air before 11:30 pm and continuing coverage until at least 2:00 am.

[edit] Rock Center with Brian Williams

On Tuesday, October 4, 2011, it was announced that Williams would be the host of Rock Center with Brian Williams, a newsmagazine program premiering on Monday, October 31, 2011, at 10:00 pm Eastern, replacing the cancelled drama series The Playboy Club.^[22] Named after the nickname of Rockefeller Center, the New York City landmark where NBC Radio City Studios are located, the program would become the first new NBC News program to launch in primetime in nearly two decades.^[23]

Appearances[link]

Williams frequently appears on The Daily Show as a celebrity guest interviewed by Jon Stewart. He appeared on the Weekend Update segment of Saturday Night Live before hosting the program on November 3, 2007.^[24]

Williams regularly appears on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where he slow jams the news of the previous week as Fallon sings and reiterates what Williams says, with The Roots providing the musical backing. He has also made numerous appearances on Late Show with David Letterman despite its being on CBS, a competing network. During an appearance on July 26, 2011, Williams demonstrated a skilled vocal impersonation of TV personality Regis Philbin. Williams has also appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien where he took part in numerous skits and interviews.

Williams also frequently makes guest appearances on NBC's television comedy 30 Rock as a caricatured version of himself. In the episode The Ones, he's seen at home receiving proposition calls meant for Tracy Jordan. In Audition Day, he auditions to be a new TGS cast member. He also is seen once on the show taunting a CNBC news host. In April 2012, on the West Coast installment of the 30 Rock season 6 live show, Williams portrayed a news anchor covering the Apollo 13 story.

Williams appeared on Sesame Street in a 2007 episode, announcing the word of the day, squid, in a special broadcast. Williams appeared on Sesame Street again in a 2008 episode reporting for Sesame Street Nightly News about the Mine-itis outbreak where he becomes a victim of it. He also was the host of the 2009 Annual Sesame Workshop Benefit Gala.

In May 2012, Williams spoke at The George Washington University commencement on the National Mall.

Personal life[link]

He lives in New Canaan, Connecticut, with his wife, Jane Gillan Stoddard Williams, two children, Allison and Douglas Williams, and two dogs.^[26]

NASCAR[link]

Williams is an avid fan of NASCAR in both the local and national levels. He was first exposed to auto racing as a child attending races on dirt tracks all over upstate New York. In 1999, Williams was the studio host of the first NASCAR race ever shown on NBC, the Pennzoil 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Two years later, at NASCAR's awards banquet in New York City, he introduced a videotaped tribute to Dale Earnhardt, who had died at the Daytona 500 some months earlier. Earnhardt and Williams had become close friends.

A 2012 promo for Rock Center with Brian Williams features a baseball motif, with the journalists' jerseys. Williams' jersey, similar to Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost, in honor of his Earnhardt friendship, carried #3.

New York Giants[link]

Brian Williams has shown himself to be a fan of the New York Giants NFL franchise. This became noticeable publicly during the Giants 2011 Super Bowl run during which Williams was noted for not only openly discussing his fandom, but also wearing a New York Giants jersey underneath his sports jacket and over his dress shirt and tie, similar to a sweater.^[27]

Career timeline[link]

• 1981: KOAM-TV
• 1982–1984: WTTG-TV correspondent
• 1985: Panorama Host
• 1985–1987: WCAU-TV New Jersey correspondent
• 1987–1993: WCBS-TV Anchor of weekday noon and weekend night newscasts; reporter
• 1993–1994: NBC News correspondent
• 1994–1996: NBC News White House correspondent
• 1996–2004: The News with Brian Williams anchor
• 2004–present: NBC Nightly News anchor
• 2011–present: Rock Center with Brian Williams host

References[link]

External links[link]

• NBC News Bio
• The Daily Nightly - Brian Williams's blog
• Bio and photo of Brian Williams — Crain's New York Business 40 under 40 — 1998^{[dead link]}
• Video of talk to journalists group - from SAJAforum.org
• Men's Vogue profile of Brian Williams
• Chmiel, David, "His Heart Belongs to Jersey", New Jersey Monthly, June 9, 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
• C-SPAN Q&A interview with Williams, December 26, 2004

Xi Jinping 习近平
First Secretary of the Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of China
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 October 2007
General Secretary	Hu Jintao
Preceded by	Zeng Qinghong
Vice President of the People's Republic of China
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 March 2008
President	Hu Jintao
Preceded by	Zeng Qinghong
Member of the 17th CPC Politburo Standing Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 October 2007
General Secretary	Hu Jintao
Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission
Incumbent
Assumed office 18 October 2010 Serving with Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou
Leader	Hu Jintao
President of the CPC Central Party School
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 December 2007
Deputy	Li Jingtian
Preceded by	Zeng Qinghong
Communist Party Secretary of Shanghai
In office 15 March 2007 – 27 October 2007
Deputy	Han Zheng
Preceded by	Han Zheng (Acting)
Succeeded by	Yu Zhengsheng
Personal details
Born	(1953-06-01) 1 June 1953 (age 59) Beijing, China
Political party	Communist Party
Spouse(s)	Peng Liyuan
Children	Mingze
Alma mater	Tsinghua University
Signature

Xi Jinping (pronounced [ɕǐ tɕînpʰǐŋ] English approx.:SHEE JIN PING; born 1 June 1953) is a high-ranking politician of the People's Republic of China. He currently serves as the top-ranked member of the Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of China, ^[1]the country's Vice President, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission, President of the Central Party School and the 6th ranked member of the CPC Politburo Standing Committee, China's de facto top power organ.

Son of communist veteran Xi Zhongxun, Xi Jinping served mostly in Fujian province in his early career. He was later appointed party chief of the neighboring Zhejiang province, and then was appointed as Shanghai's party chief following the dismissal of Chen Liangyu. Known for his tough stance on corruption and a frank openness about political and market economy reforms,^[2] Xi's combination of positions makes him the presumptive heir to current General Secretary and President Hu Jintao and the Paramount leader of the Communist Party of China's fifth generation of leadership.^[3]

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Xi Jinping was born on June 1st, 1953 in Beijing and is, by Chinese convention, a native of Fuping County, Shaanxi. His ancestral home is at Xiying, Dengzhou of Henan.^[4] He is the second son of Xi Zhongxun, one of the founders of the Communist guerrilla movement in Shaanxi Province in northern China and former Vice-Premier. At the time his father served as the head of the Communist Party's propaganda department and later Vice-Chairman of the National People's Congress. When Xi was 10, his father was purged and sent to work in a factory in Luoyang.^[5] Xi was 15 when his father was jailed in 1968, during the Cultural Revolution. Without the protection of his father, Xi went to work in Yanchuan County, Yan'an, Shaanxi, in 1969 in Mao Zedong's Down to the Countryside Movement. He later became the Party branch secretary of the production team. When he left in 1975, he was only 22 years old. When asked about this experience later by state television, Xi recalled it saying, "It was emotional. It was a mood. And when the ideals of the Cultural Revolution could not be realised, it proved an illusion."^[6]

From 1975 to 1979, Xi studied chemical engineering at Beijing's prestigious Tsinghua University. From 1979 to 1982 he served as secretary for his father's former subordinate Geng Biao, the then vice premier and Secretary-General of the Central Military Commission. This gained Xi some military background. In 1985 he visited the town of Muscatine, Iowa as a part of a Chinese delegation to study American agriculture.^[7]

Ascent[link]

Xi joined the Communist Youth League in 1971 and the Communist Party of China in 1974.^[8] In 1982 he was sent to Zhengding County in Hebei as Deputy Secretary to the CPC Zhengding County Committee, and was promoted in 1983 to Secretary of the CPC Zhengding County Committee.^[9] Xi subsequently served in four provinces during his political career: Shaanxi, Hebei, Fujian and Zhejiang.

Xi held Party positions in the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee, and became the president of the Party School in Fuzhou in 1990. In 1999 he was promoted to the Deputy Governor of Fujian province, then became Governor a year later. While there he made efforts to attract investment from Taiwan and to boost free market economy. In February 2000 he and provincial Party Secretary Chen Mingyi were called before the top four members of the Party Central Politburo Standing Committee – General Secretary, President Jiang Zemin, Premier Zhu Rongji, Vice-President Hu Jintao and Discipline Inspection head Wei Jianxing to explain aspects of the Yuanhua scandal.^[10]

In 2002 Xi took up senior government and Party positions in Zhejiang Province, and eventually took over as party chief after several months as acting Governor, becoming the first-in-charge in the economically successful coastal province. Xi was then made an alternate member of the 15th CPC Central Committee and holds the membership of the 16th CPC Central Committee, marking his ascension to the national stage. While in Zhejiang, one of China's most affluent provinces and a center of China's successful economic development, Xi provided the economic environment which secured growth rates averaging 14% per year. His career in Zhejiang was marked by tough and straightforward stance against corrupt officials, which earned him a name on the national media and drew the attention of China's top leaders.

Following the dismissal of Shanghai Party Chief Chen Liangyu in September 2006 due to a social security fund scandal, Xi was transferred to Shanghai in March 2007 to become the new Party Chief of Shanghai. Xi's appointment to one of the most important regional posts in China was clearly a sign of confidence from the Central Government. While in Shanghai he was careful not to touch any controversial issues while largely echoing the line of the central leadership. Xi's career is notable in that during his regional tenures, he was never implicated in any serious scandals, nor did he face serious political opposition.

Joining the Standing Committee and Vice-Presidency[link]

Xi Jinping greeting U.S. President George W. Bush in August 2008.

Xi Jinping with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in September 2010.

Xi's appointment to the Party Secretary post in Shanghai was seen as a stepping stone for him to become an emerging member of the fifth generation of Chinese leadership. This was solidified by his appointment as a member of the nine-man Politburo Standing Committee at the 17th Party Congress in October 2007. Xi was ranked above Li Keqiang, which made him the most likely candidate for China's next core figure – the paramount leader. In addition, Xi also held the top-ranking membership of the Communist Party's Central Secretariat. This assessment was further supported at the 11th National People's Congress, Xi was elected as Vice-President of the People's Republic of China on 15 March 2008.^[11] Some suggest this was because Xi had kept friendly relations with both Hu Jintao and the other power figure in the central leadership, Zeng Qinghong.

Since his elevation Xi has held a broad range of portfolios. He was put in charge of the comprehensive preparations for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, as well as being the central government's leading figure in Hong Kong and Macau affairs. In addition, he also became the new President of the Central Party School, the cadre-training and ideological education wing of the Communist Party. In the wake of the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, Xi visited disaster areas in Shaanxi and Gansu. Xi made his first foreign visit after his vice presidency to visit North Korea, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Yemen from 17 to 25 June 2008.^[12] After the Olympics, Xi was assigned the post of Committee Chair for the preparations of the 60th Anniversary Celebrations of the founding of the People's Republic of China. He was also reportedly at the helm of a top-level Communist Party committee dubbed the 6521 Project, which was charged with ensuring social stability during a series of political sensitive anniversaries in 2009.^[13]

Xi is considered to be one of the most successful members of the Crown Prince Party, a quasi-clique of politicians who are descendants of early Chinese revolutionaries. Senior leaders consider Xi to be an emerging figure that is open to serious dialogue about deep-seated market economic reforms and even political reform, although Xi's personal political views are relatively murky.^{[clarification needed]} He is generally popular with foreign dignitaries, who are intrigued by his openness and pragmatism. Former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, when asked about Xi, said he felt he was "a thoughtful man who has gone through many trials and tribulations."^[2] Lee also commented: "I would put him in the Nelson Mandela class of persons. A person with enormous emotional stability who does not allow his personal misfortunes or sufferings affect his judgment. In other words, he is impressive".^[14] Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson described Xi as "the kind of guy who knows how to get things over the goal line."^[15]

Tours as Vice President[link]

In February 2009, in his capacity as Vice-President, Xi Jinping embarked on a Latin American foreign trip to Mexico, Jamaica, Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil to promote Chinese ties in the region and boost the country's reputation in the wake of the global financial crisis. Xi met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

On 11 February, while visiting Mexico, Xi spoke in front of a group of overseas Chinese and explained China's contributions to the financial crisis, saying that it was "the greatest contribution towards the whole of human race, made by China, to prevent its 1.3 billion people from hunger".^[16] He followed with a rather direct accusation for "foreigners" trying to interfere in Chinese affairs, a subject that has always been sensitive in Chinese political circles. In Chinese, Xi remarked: "There are some bored foreigners, with full stomachs, who have nothing better to do than point fingers at us [China]. First, China doesn't export revolution; second, China doesn't export hunger and poverty; third, China doesn't come and cause you headaches, what more is there to be said?"^[17][18]

The story was reported on some local television stations. The news led to a flood of discussions on Chinese internet forums. It was reported that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs was caught off-guard by Xi's non-diplomatic remarks, as the actual video was shot by some accompanying Hong Kong reporters and broadcast on Hong Kong TV, which then turned up in various internet video websites.^[19]

Xi has since gone on a series of foreign visits, some say to burnish his foreign affairs credentials before he takes the helm of China's leadership. Xi visited Belgium, Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania from 7 to 21 October 2009.^[20] Xi visited Japan, South Korea, Cambodia and Myanmar on his Asian trip from 14 to 22 December 2009.^[21]

Xi visited the United States, Ireland and Turkey in February 2012. The visit included meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House^[22] and Vice President Joe Biden, with whom he had met extensively in China in August, 2011; and stops in California and Iowa, where he met with the family which previously hosted him during his 1985 tour as a Hebei provincial official.^[23] Noted as absent was a visit with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner,^[24] who has spoken critically about Chinese currency policy.^[25]

Political future[link]

Xi was named as one of the most influential people in the world in the 2009, 2011 and 2012 Time 100 lists.^[26] The British magazine New Statesman listed Xi Jinping at number 4 in their annual survey of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures 2010".^[27] In September 2009, at the Fourth Plenum of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping was not selected as the Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) as expected, raising some questions about his succession. Political analyst Cheng Li believed that Xi's failure to secure the CMC promotion was evidence that the Communist Party was developing internal checks and balances, giving way to more sophisticated mechanisms for leadership succession.^[28] Xi was officially appointed to the vice-chairmanship on 18 October 2010, a position Hu Jintao once held back in 1999 before taking over the secretaryship and the presidency years later.^{[29][30][31][32]} By 2010, it became clear that Xi would succeed Hu as General Secretary and President in 2012 and 2013 separately.^[33][34]

Personal life[link]

Xi married Ke Lingling in the early 1980s. After about 3 years, they were divorced, due to personality clashes. Xi married the famous Chinese folk singer Peng Liyuan (彭丽媛) in 1987, his second marriage.^[35] Peng Liyuan, a household name in China, was much better known to the public than Xi until his political elevation. The couple frequently live apart due to their largely separate lives. They are sometimes considered China's emerging star political couple. They have a daughter named Xi Mingze (习明泽),^[36] who enrolled as a freshman at Harvard University in the autumn of 2010 under a pseudonym.^[37]

Xi holds doctorates in chemical engineering and political science.^[38]

Peng has described Xi as frugal, hardworking and down to earth. "When he comes home, I've never thought of it as though there's some leader in the house. In my eyes, he's just my husband."^[39]

Xi was described in a 2011 Washington Post article by those who know him as "pragmatic, serious, cautious, hard-working, down to earth and low-key. They also say he is a problem-solver and a leader seemingly uninterested in the trappings of high office."^[40] He is also known to love Hollywood films like Saving Private Ryan^[41] and The Departed.^{[citation needed]} The Guardian noted that "perhaps more surprisingly" he has also praised the independent film maker, Jia Zhangke.^[42]

See also[link]

• Crown Prince Party
• Xi-Li Administration

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Xi Jinping

• News about Xi Jinping on the China Digital Times
• Biography at www.chinavitae.com
• U.S. Embassy Beijing, Portrait of Xi Jinping, via United States diplomatic cables leak
• Osnos, Evan, "China’s Valentine’s Day in Washington", The New Yorker, 14 February 2012. Review of comment accompanying Xi's visit.

v t e Members of the 17th Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China General Secretary 1. Hu Jintao Other members 2. Wu Bangguo 3. Wen Jiabao 4. Jia Qinglin 5. Li Changchun 6. Xi Jinping 7. Li Keqiang 8. He Guoqiang 9. Zhou Yongkang

v t e Members of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China 12th CPC Central Committee Wan Li, Xi Zhongxun, Deng Liqun, Yang Yong, Yu Qiuli, Gu Mu, Chen Pixian, Hu Qili, Yao Yilin Alternate secretaries: Qiao Shi, Hao Jianxiu 13th CPC Central Committee Hu Qili, Qiao Shi, Rui Xingwen, Yan Mingfu Alternate secretaries: Wen Jiabao 14th CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao, Ding Guangen, Wei Jianxing, Wen Jiabao, Ren Jianxin 15th CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao, Wei Jianxing, Ding Guangen, Ding Guangen, Luo Gan, Wen Jiabao, Zeng Qinghong 16th CPC Central Committee Zeng Qinghong, Liu Yunshan, Zhou Yongkang, He Guoqiang, Wang Gang, Xu Caihou, He Yong 17th CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping, Liu Yunshan, Li Yuanchao, He Yong, Ling Jihua, Wang Huning

v t e Vice President of the People's Republic of China Common Program (1949–1954) Vice Chairmen of the Central People's Government: Zhu, Liu, Song, Zhang, Li, Gao 1954 Constitution (1954–1975) Vice Chairman: Zhu · Song and Dong  · Dong 1975 Constitution (1975–1978) Post abolished see NPCSC 1st vice-chairperson (Dong · Song) 1978 Constitution (1978–1982) Post abolished see NPCSC 1st vice-chairperson (Song · Nie) 1982 Constitution (1982–present) Vice President: Ulanhu · Wang · Rong · Hu · Zeng · Xi List of Vice Presidents of the People's Republic of China

Li Keqiang 李克强
9th First Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
Incumbent
Assumed office 17 March 2008
Premier	Wen Jiabao
Preceded by	Wu Yi (Acting)
Member of the National People's Congress
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 March 1993
Constituency	Anhui At-large (93–98) Henan At-large (98-08) Liaoning At-large (08-)
11th Communist Party Committee Secretary of Liaoning
In office December 2004 – October 2007
Deputy	Zhang Wenyue
Preceded by	Wen Shizhen
Succeeded by	Zhang Wenyue
12th Communist Party Committee Secretary of Henan
In office December 2002 – December 2004
Deputy	Li Chengyu
Preceded by	Chen Kuiyuan
Succeeded by	Xu Guangchun
First Secretary of the Communist Youth League of China
In office May 1993 – June 1998
Preceded by	Song Defu
Succeeded by	Zhou Qiang
Personal details
Born	(1955-07-01) 1 July 1955 (age 56) Dingyuan, China
Political party	Communist Party of China
Spouse(s)	Cheng Hong
Alma mater	Peking University
Signature

Li Keqiang (born 1 July 1955) is the Executive Vice-Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, the seventh ranked member of the Politburo Standing Committee, the People's Republic of China's de facto highest decision-making body. As Premier Wen Jiabao's top lieutenant, Li's official portfolio includes economic development, price controls, finance, climate change, and macroeconomic management.

Li rose through the ranks of the Communist Youth League. From 1998 to 2004, Li served as the Governor of Henan and the province's CPC party chief, and then the Liaoning party chief, an office that made him first-in-charge in that province. Li is speculated as the likely successor to Wen Jiabao as Premier in the "fifth generation" (Xi-Li Administration) of CPC leadership.

Biography[link]

Early life[link]