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Hu Jintao

Born in 1942 and Chinese president since 2003, Anhui native Hu Jintao had been posted to Gansu, Guizhou and Tibet during his climb up the party ranks, and first became a member of the Politburo’s standing committee in 1992. He graduated from Tsinghua University in 1964 with a degree in engineering. The Communist Youth League is known to be a staunch supporter of Hu. He retired as General Secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Party's Central Military Commission during the 18th Party Congress in November 2012. He remained president of the PRC until 2013 when he was succeeded by Xi Jinping.

Born

21 Dec 1942

Industry

Politics

Job Title

Former President of China

A drone view shows the Manzanillo seaport in Mexico in April. Photo: Reuters

SCMP Highlights

Mexico’s 50% tariff shock, China warns India over Dalai Lama: 5 weekend reads

From China warning India over Dalai Lama to a Hong Kong civil servant’s apology, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

22 Dec 2025 - 1:02PM

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Diplomacy

Xi boosts China ties in resource-rich Central Asia

A summit with five leaders from Central Asia offers President Xi Jinping the chance to snap up more raw materials for China’s economy in a region once viewed as Russia’s backyard.

17 Jun 2025 - 5:52PM

China-Russia relations

Russia moves again to join with China and India despite their trust issues

Analysts say Trump’s tariffs and other policies could unite three countries but long-standing conflicts between them remain an obstacle.

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Singapore

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China-EU relations

EU cranks up the pressure as China’s Xi Jinping prepares for 3-nation visit

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Chinese President Xi Jinping, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von de Leyen in Beijing last April. The three are due to meet again in Paris next week. Photo: Pool via Reuters

China’s Communist Party

Son of former Chinese president Hu Jintao promoted to deputy minister

State Council announces the promotion of Hu Haifeng to deputy civil affairs minister after five years as party boss of small city in eastern China.

16 Jan 2024 - 8:21PMvideocam

US-China relations

Not quite Mar-a-Lago as Xi breaks the ice with Biden, 6 years after Trump summit

Business-like tone takes the place of warm family moments displayed during 2017 visit as Xi Jinping and Joe Biden hold first in-person talks in a year.

17 Nov 2023 - 2:53AMvideocam

Li Keqiang

Editorial | Continuing down the reformist path best way to remember Li

China is all the poorer for the death of the ‘people’s premier’ Li Keqiang, who always showed his caring side even as he steered the nation through some of its most difficult moments.

27 Oct 2023 - 11:06PMvideocam

Former Chinese premier Li Keqiang (right) and President Xi Jinping made a formidable team. Although different in their approaches, both were groomed for leadership. Photo: Reuters

China economy

China Briefing | Xi’s Chinese dream in danger of being hijacked by ultra-left nationalism

The ultra-leftist revival threatens Xi’s plans to revive the economy and turn China into a dominant world power by 2049. It’s time to curb these ultra-nationalistic tendencies and return to pragmatic reform and development.

6 Mar 2023 - 1:00AMvideocam

Jiang Zemin

Xi Jinping hails Jiang Zemin for steering China through tough times

Xi vows to carry on with opening up to the world while also working for ‘national rejuvenation’.

6 Dec 2022 - 11:44PMvideocam

Jiang Zemin

Why former leader Hu Jintao did not attend Jiang Zemin’s funeral

The 80-year-old did attend a brief ceremony on Monday, but did not appear at Tuesday’s longer funeral service.

6 Dec 2022 - 8:42PMvideocam

Jiang Zemin

Jiang Zemin’s body completes final journey to Chinese capital

President Xi Jinping and other senior leaders receive the late leader’s casket ahead of the state funeral on Tuesday morning.

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Troops carry Jiang Zemin’s casket down the steps from the plane that brought his body from Beijing. Photo: CCTV

Xi Jinping

Back To The Future | Communist Party’s moment of crisis turned Xi from ‘weakest’ to ‘most powerful’ leader

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Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. Photo: Xinhua/File

South Korea

China envoy blasts US for dividing Seoul and Beijing, defends Hu’s congress exit

Ambassador Xing Haiming accused the US of being the “biggest external challenge” to Seoul-Beijing relations, while also claiming Hu Jintao’s dramatic exit at the Communist Party congress was due to age.

26 Oct 2022 - 8:39PMvideocam

Video | Former Chinese president Hu escorted from party congress hall

23 Oct 2022 - 12:32PM

China’s 20th Party Congress

Hu Jintao’s congress exit a break from the Communist Party script

The reason for Hu’s departure from the closing ceremony is unclear and prompted widespread discussion online.

23 Oct 2022 - 12:45PMvideocam

256

Former Chinese president Hu Jintao leaves his seat next to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, during the closing ceremony of the congress on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

China’s 20th Party Congress

China Briefing | History hints at how China will select its next leaders at 20th party congress

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5 Sep 2022 - 9:44AM

China’s Communist Party

From Mao to now: Shambaugh compares and contrasts China’s leaders

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11 Oct 2021 - 6:43PMvideocam

China’s Communist Party turns 100

Communist Party sticks to the script on a day for young and old

Audience of more than 70,000 fills Tiananmen Square for carefully choreographed celebration and while Xi Jinping gets much of the attention, younger faces also take centre stage.

2 Jul 2021 - 12:04AMvideocam

Choir members wave during the centenary celebration in Tiananmen Square on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua

China’s Communist Party turns 100

China’s Communist Party goes back to the future in centenary curtain-raiser

Xi Jinping’s leadership highlighted in three-hour show at the ‘Bird’s Nest’ National Stadium.

30 Jun 2021 - 1:45AM

Performers celebrate the Communist Party’s centenary in a three-hour show at the National Stadium in Beijing on Monday night. Photo: Simon Song

Xi Jinping

Xi to join Merkel, Suga and Modi at virtual Davos for the pandemic age

Xi Jinping is expected to emphasise China’s success in combating the coronavirus and call for international cooperation on the pandemic and climate change.

20 Jan 2021 - 9:14AMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

China’s grass-roots cadres must fall in line for stability, Xi aide says

Some Communist Party authorities across the country are quick to applaud Beijing’s decisions, but they may not implement top-level directives when there is a conflict with local interests.

4 Dec 2020 - 12:18PMvideocam

China Conference: United States

Hong Kong is now a sticking point between China and US, says Tung Chee-hwa

Former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa noted that China had not ‘intruded in Hong Kong affairs for the past 22 years’.

2 Dec 2020 - 8:48AM

Tung Chee-hwa was the keynote speaker at the opening of the annual China Conference: United States. Photo: Edmond So

China’s Communist Party

Chinese dissident in US says Communist Party froze his life savings

Deng Yuwen says the action is a warning to critics of the party in the United States.

19 Nov 2020 - 5:42AMvideocam

Deng Yuwen lives in the United States with his wife and children. Photo: Handout

China economy

Is China’s ‘dual circulation’ strategy just rehashing an old economic idea?

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Coronavirus pandemic

Opinion | Has China learned its lesson about censorship from the coronavirus tragedy?

Official responses after Li Wenliang’s death show little sign Beijing realises that the muzzling of information has life-and-death consequences for the world. An unrepentant China may leave the world no choice but to decouple and keep a distance

20 Mar 2020 - 9:28AMvideocam

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Hu Jintao

Mexico’s 50% tariff shock, China warns India over Dalai Lama: 5 weekend reads

From China warning India over Dalai Lama to a Hong Kong civil servant’s apology, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

Brussels ramps up China de-risking while France and Germany pull further apart

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}The Front Line | Guerrilla warfare to hi-tech: how China’s military parades have evolved

Xi boosts China ties in resource-rich Central Asia

A summit with five leaders from Central Asia offers President Xi Jinping the chance to snap up more raw materials for China’s economy in a region once viewed as Russia’s backyard.

Russia moves again to join with China and India despite their trust issues

Analysts say Trump’s tariffs and other policies could unite three countries but long-standing conflicts between them remain an obstacle.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Asian Angle | The Singapore-China ties Lawrence Wong inherits from Lee Hsien Loong

Under Lee, bilateral ties were upgraded through economic initiatives and dialogue platforms – despite occasional political hiccups.

EU cranks up the pressure as China’s Xi Jinping prepares for 3-nation visit

President Xi Jinping’s European trip comes amid barrage of EU trade and competition tools largely targeting Chinese firms, including dramatic raids in the Netherlands and Poland.

Son of former Chinese president Hu Jintao promoted to deputy minister

State Council announces the promotion of Hu Haifeng to deputy civil affairs minister after five years as party boss of small city in eastern China.

Not quite Mar-a-Lago as Xi breaks the ice with Biden, 6 years after Trump summit

Business-like tone takes the place of warm family moments displayed during 2017 visit as Xi Jinping and Joe Biden hold first in-person talks in a year.

Editorial | Continuing down the reformist path best way to remember Li

China is all the poorer for the death of the ‘people’s premier’ Li Keqiang, who always showed his caring side even as he steered the nation through some of its most difficult moments.

China Briefing | Xi’s Chinese dream in danger of being hijacked by ultra-left nationalism

The ultra-leftist revival threatens Xi’s plans to revive the economy and turn China into a dominant world power by 2049. It’s time to curb these ultra-nationalistic tendencies and return to pragmatic reform and development.

Xi Jinping hails Jiang Zemin for steering China through tough times

Xi vows to carry on with opening up to the world while also working for ‘national rejuvenation’.

Why former leader Hu Jintao did not attend Jiang Zemin’s funeral

The 80-year-old did attend a brief ceremony on Monday, but did not appear at Tuesday’s longer funeral service.

Jiang Zemin’s body completes final journey to Chinese capital

President Xi Jinping and other senior leaders receive the late leader’s casket ahead of the state funeral on Tuesday morning.

Back To The Future | Communist Party’s moment of crisis turned Xi from ‘weakest’ to ‘most powerful’ leader

China’s long-standing norms, including retirement age and balance of power at the top, are set aside as Xi Jinping seeks to restore party discipline.

China envoy blasts US for dividing Seoul and Beijing, defends Hu’s congress exit

Ambassador Xing Haiming accused the US of being the “biggest external challenge” to Seoul-Beijing relations, while also claiming Hu Jintao’s dramatic exit at the Communist Party congress was due to age.

.css-rcruog{color:#C79A00;}Video | Former Chinese president Hu escorted from party congress hall

Hu Jintao’s congress exit a break from the Communist Party script

The reason for Hu’s departure from the closing ceremony is unclear and prompted widespread discussion online.

China Briefing | History hints at how China will select its next leaders at 20th party congress

China’s new leadership line-up could be finalised by the end of September, if officials follow a similar timetable to the last congress. But don’t expect any straw polls – or to find out who made the cut until the final day.

From Mao to now: Shambaugh compares and contrasts China’s leaders

What are the similarities and differences between Xi Jinping and Mao Zedong? Was Deng Xiaoping the People’s Republic’s greatest leader?

Communist Party sticks to the script on a day for young and old

Audience of more than 70,000 fills Tiananmen Square for carefully choreographed celebration and while Xi Jinping gets much of the attention, younger faces also take centre stage.

China’s Communist Party goes back to the future in centenary curtain-raiser

Xi Jinping’s leadership highlighted in three-hour show at the ‘Bird’s Nest’ National Stadium.

Xi to join Merkel, Suga and Modi at virtual Davos for the pandemic age

Xi Jinping is expected to emphasise China’s success in combating the coronavirus and call for international cooperation on the pandemic and climate change.

China’s grass-roots cadres must fall in line for stability, Xi aide says

Some Communist Party authorities across the country are quick to applaud Beijing’s decisions, but they may not implement top-level directives when there is a conflict with local interests.

Hong Kong is now a sticking point between China and US, says Tung Chee-hwa

Former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa noted that China had not ‘intruded in Hong Kong affairs for the past 22 years’.

Chinese dissident in US says Communist Party froze his life savings

Deng Yuwen says the action is a warning to critics of the party in the United States.

Is China’s ‘dual circulation’ strategy just rehashing an old economic idea?

China’s ‘dual-circulation’ strategy to boost consumption and reduce reliance on overseas markets dates back to the late 2000s, says veteran China observer Michael Pettis.

Opinion | Has China learned its lesson about censorship from the coronavirus tragedy?

Official responses after Li Wenliang’s death show little sign Beijing realises that the muzzling of information has life-and-death consequences for the world. An unrepentant China may leave the world no choice but to decouple and keep a distance

The Front Line | Guerrilla warfare to hi-tech: how China’s military parades have evolved

Asian Angle | The Singapore-China ties Lawrence Wong inherits from Lee Hsien Loong

Video | Former Chinese president Hu escorted from party congress hall