XI Jinping

Xi Jinping (pinyin: Xí Jìnpíng; pronounced, born 15 June 1953) is the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China. He is also the Chairman of the Party Central Military Commission. In addition, he holds the titles of Vice President, Vice Chairman of the PRC Central Military Commission, President of the Central Party School and is the first-ranked member of the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), China's de facto top power organ. Xi is now leader of the Communist Party of China's fifth generation of leadership.He is expected to become President, China's nominal head of state, in early 2013, when the National People's Congress convenes.

Son of communist veteran Xi Zhongxun (1913–2002), Xi Jinping served mostly in Fujian province in his early career. He was later appointed party chief of the neighboring Zhejiang, and then briefly served as Shanghai's party secretary following the dismissal of Chen Liangyu. Xi was promoted to the central leadership in October 2007, entering the PSC and secretariat, groomed to become Hu Jintao's successor. Xi is known for his tough stance on corruption and a frank openness about political and market economy reforms.