Xi Jinping
Biography
Xi Jinping (born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician and statesman who has been the paramount leader of China since 2012. He serves as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and chairman of the Party’s Central Military Commission, positions he assumed in 2012, and became president of the People’s Republic of China and chairman of the state military commission in 2013. He is widely regarded as the leading figure of China’s fifth generation of leadership. Xi was born in Beijing as the son of Xi Zhongxun, a veteran revolutionary figure, and Qi Xin. During the Cultural Revolution, his father was purged, and Xi was sent to the rural village of Liangjiahe in Shaanxi province as part of the “sent-down youth” movement. There, he lived in a cave dwelling known as a yaodong, performed manual labor, and later became a local party secretary. After several unsuccessful attempts, he joined the CCP. He later studied chemical engineering at Tsinghua University as a worker-peasant-soldier student. Xi’s political career advanced through regional leadership roles, particularly in China’s coastal provinces. He served as governor of Fujian from 1999 to 2002, then moved to Zhejiang, where he was governor and later party secretary from 2002 to 2007. In 2007, he was briefly appointed party secretary of Shanghai following a political scandal. That same year, he entered the Politburo Standing Committee, the highest decision-making body in China, and became a leading figure in the party’s central leadership. In 2008, he was named vice president, and in 2010 he became vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, positioning him as successor to Hu Jintao. After assuming top leadership roles, Xi introduced extensive measures to strengthen party discipline and consolidate authority. His anti-corruption campaign targeted both high-ranking and lower-level officials, significantly reshaping the political landscape. He promoted the concept of “common prosperity,” aiming to reduce inequality, and implemented policies addressing poverty alleviation, economic restructuring, and technological development. His administration also increased the role of state-owned enterprises and emphasized national security and self-reliance. In foreign policy, Xi has taken a more assertive approach, particularly in relations with the United States, territorial disputes, and efforts to expand China’s global influence through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative. His leadership has also seen tighter control over Hong Kong following the introduction of a national security law in 2020, as well as heightened tensions with Taiwan. Domestically, Xi’s tenure has been marked by increased censorship, expanded surveillance systems, and controversial human rights policies, including actions in Xinjiang. He has overseen major reforms of the military and strengthened the CCP’s role across all areas of governance. In 2018, presidential term limits were removed, allowing him to extend his time in power, and in 2023 he secured a third term as president. His political ideology, known as Xi Jinping Thought, has been formally incorporated into both party and state constitutions, reflecting his central role in contemporary Chinese politics.
Known For

Mentiras verdaderas

Frontline

Frontline

Explained

History 101

Spotlight

Straight

Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj
All Movies (42)
- Greenland: The Icy Eldorado2025 · as Self (archive footage)
- 纪念中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年大会2025
- Allianz gegen China2025
- Xi Jinpings Weg zur Macht2025
- Die Konfrontation - TikTok, die mächtigste App der Welt2025
- China, der Riese erwacht - TikTok, die mächtigste App der Welt2025
- China, The U.S., & The Rise of Xi Xinping2024
- In China's Shadow – The Philippines at the Center of a Global Conflict2024
- The Grab2024 · as Self (archive footage)
- Russia, China, Iran: The Axis of Revenge2024 · as Self (archive footage)
- Abhängig von China: Warum wir nicht einfach "Schluss machen" können2023
- 杭州第19届亚运会闭幕式2023
- 杭州第19届亚运会开幕式2023 · as Self
- To End All War: Oppenheimer & the Atomic Bomb2023 · as Self (archive footage)
- North Korea: A Plan to Survive2023 · as Self (archive footage)
- And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine2023 · as Self (archive footage)
- Xi und die Geld-Elite: Harte Zeiten für Chinas Superreiche?2023
- China greift nach Europa: Ein Hafen nach dem anderen2022
- Candlelight Revolution2022 · as Self (archive footage)
- China: The Uighur Tragedy2022 · as Self - Politician (archive footage)
- Spiel mit dem Feuer - Wer braucht noch dieses Olympia?2022 · as Self (archive footage)
- Vaccine Diplomacy2021 · as Self (archive footage)
- The New World of Xi Jinping2021 · as Self
- Taiwan: A Digital Democracy in China's Shadow2021 · as Self (archive footage)
- China's COVID Secrets2021 · as Self (archive footage)
- North Korea: Inside The Mind of a Dictator2021 · as Self (archive footage)
- China's Rebel City: The Hong Kong Protests2020 · as Self (archive footage)
- Big Data, Big Brother2020 · as Self - Politician (archive footage)
- Big Brother: A World Under Surveillance2020 · as Self - Politician (archive footage)
- The Lockdown: One Month in Wuhan2020 · as Tedros Ghebreyesus
- When China Wows the World: The 2019 Grand Military Parade2019
- Tiananmen: The People Versus the Party2019 · as Self - Politician (archive footage)
- Moon: The Battles of Space2019 · as Self - Politician (archive footage)
- The World According to Xi Jinping2018 · as Self
- Fahrenheit 11/92018 · as Self (archive footage)
- An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power2017 · as Self
- Before the Flood2016 · as Self
- Shadow World2016 · as Self - Politician (archive footage)
- The Xi Factor2015
- Sochi: 2014 Olympic Opening Ceremony: Dreams of Russia2014 · as Self
- 60th Anniversary Of Founding Of The People's Republic Of China2009 · as 习近平
- Xi Jinping – Aufstieg eines Führers—
All TV Shows (15)
- Laogai: Prison Nation - Inside China's Ruling System2023 · as Self (archive footage)
- Three Wars2023 · as Self (archive footage)
- 2023年新年贺词2022 · as 国家主席
- China: The Enemy Within2022 · as Self (archive footage)
- History 1012020 · as Self (archive footage)
- Главное с Ольгой Беловой2019 · as Председатель КНР
- Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj2018 · as Self (archive footage)
- 360°2018 · as Self (archive footage)
- Explained2018 · as Self (archive footage)
- Straight2018 · as Self (archive footage)
- NHK WORLD PRIME2017 · as Self (archive footage)
- Spotlight2015 · as Self (archive footage)
- Mentiras verdaderas2011 · as Self (archive footage)
- Frontline1983 · as Self (archive footage)
- Frontline1983 · as Self