China’s Crown Princeling – John Tkacik

From The Wall Street Journal:

Who is Xi Jinping? It’s possibly the most important question in China today.

At the 17th Party Congress, Mr. Xi was made head of the Party secretariat to the Standing Committee of the Politburo — which puts him in pole position to lead China when Hu Jintao steps down from the presidency in 2012. And if all goes to plan, he’ll be a far more powerful leader than Mr. Hu.

Mr. Xi’s appeal starts first with his lineage. The son of a former Politburo member and “Long March” veteran Xi Zhongxun, Mr. Xi is a “princeling” — the most privileged class of cadres in the Party. He is a member of the Party’s “Shanghai faction,” a group of men who made their careers through patronage to former President Jiang Zemin. And he has powerful backing: He is the personal choice of Mr. Hu’s affable rival, Vice President Zeng Qinghong. [Full Text]

[Image source: wsj.com]