Xi Jinping: The Aristocratic Prince Who Lost Everything Before Becoming China’s Most Powerful Leader
Image source, Reuters/Getty Images
Chinese President Xi Jinping is preparing for his first official state visit to the United States in 11 years.
However, their first meeting took place many years ago, long before Xi rose to become China’s most powerful leader.
Nearly four decades ago, Xi was a county-level official in northern China. At that time, he was visiting the American Midwest as part of a fact-finding mission.
During his time in Iowa, he gathered information on agricultural conditions and spent several days living with a local family outside an urban area.
Chinese state media have highlighted Xi’s homestay and friendship with Iowa’s then-Governor Terry Branstad, who later became the U.S. Ambassador to China during the Trump administration. This personal connection is often seen as an element influencing China-U.S. relations.
Today, relations with the United States are very different, shaped by global influence competition, targeted import tariffs, technology controls, and military rivalry.
The 37-year-old Xi is no longer an ordinary official. In his 14 years leading China, he has transformed both the Communist Party and China’s global presence.
The ‘Prince’ Who Lost Everything
Image source, Reuters
Xi’s story began in a privileged environment.
Born in Beijing in 1953, Xi is the sixth child of Communist revolutionary Xi Zhongxun, who helped found the People’s Republic of China. His father rose to senior party leadership and served as vice premier.
His childhood was spent at prestigious schools with access to privileges that many families did not have.
However, political tides turned against his family.
In the 1960s, Xi’s father was accused of anti-party activities, exiled, forced to work in a factory, and ultimately expelled from the party.
Image source, Getty Images
Labeled a child of an enemy of the party, Xi was forcibly sent to a re-education center. Under Mao’s orders, he spent 15 years living with peasants in the countryside.
In a 2004 interview, he said, “Everyone on the train was wiping their tears; I was the only one smiling. Had I not understood, I would have been crying. Whether I would have survived if I had stayed, I don’t know.”
During his seven years in the remote village of Liangjiahe in Shaanxi province, he farmed, carried manure, and dug ditches.
“Sour vegetables became my favorite dish,” he recalled. “Even now, I love them very much.”
He was shocked by the burden of work and initially struggled with hunger and fatigue, but found some relief in smoking occasionally.
Rise to Power
At 22, he left the village to study chemical engineering at the prestigious Tsinghua University in China.
Upon graduation, Xi served as a local official in the economically booming Fujian and Zhejiang provinces during the 1980s.
His family background helped him establish his place both in the central government and the military, strengthening his ties to the Communist Party.
Many officials would later become direct associates as he rose to party leadership.
Image source, EPA
Xi’s first marriage was to the daughter of China’s ambassador to the UK, but it ended within three years.
A mutual friend introduced him to his current wife, Peng Liyuan, a well-known singer in the Chinese military who gained fame for performing during Chinese New Year programs.
By the 1990s, Peng was well recognized among provincial officials in Shaanxi.
She frequently accompanies Xi on his foreign trips, breaking the tradition of the silent ‘first lady.’
Their daughter, Xi Mingze, was born in 1992 and studied at Harvard University in the U.S. Little information about her is publicly available.
After serving a brief period as Shanghai’s top official in 2007, Xi joined the Communist Party’s powerful Politburo Standing Committee. Within five years, he succeeded Hu Jintao as the party’s supreme leader.
He has transformed China’s economic and political systems in ways many did not anticipate.
China Shaped by Xi
During his 14 years in power, China has grown more confident and prosperous.
Internationally, he has advanced projects such as the Belt and Road Initiative to strengthen China’s global presence. He also championed the concept of the Global South.
However, relations with major democratic countries have become strained, especially regarding the South China Sea and Taiwan, leading to heightened tensions with the U.S.
Domestically, Xi has consolidated extensive control, politically strengthening his position.
Under his leadership, strict security and political measures have been implemented in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong. Supporters praise these moves as restoring order, while critics argue they severely restrict civil liberties.
He has introduced a new ideology—”Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era”—an achievement his predecessors could not claim.
Xi removed term limits for the presidency from the constitution, allowing him to remain in office beyond two terms.
Chinese state media portray him as a serious and influential figure, though he sometimes shows a lighter, more humorous side.
He has spoken about his love of football. During discussions with the Thai prime minister, he joked about being disappointed with the Chinese men’s football team’s performance. He also once offered a pint of beer to former UK Prime Minister David Cameron.
He humorously questioned the South Korean president whether there were any security protocols to test Xiaomi phones made in China.
Friend or Foe?
Image source, AFP via Getty Images
Xi’s relationships with foreign leaders reflect the priorities of China’s overall foreign policy, sometimes close, other times distant.
He is considered closest to Russian President Vladimir Putin; they have met over 40 times since coming to power, and Xi has called Putin his “closest confidant.”
His relationship with former U.S. President Donald Trump was more complicated. Despite trade conflicts, Trump often spoke of Xi in a friendly tone and praised his political strength.
Early on, Xi sought to establish personal diplomatic ties with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There have been informal talks and meetings between the two Asian powers.
However, a border clash in 2020 caused relations to deteriorate to their worst in decades.
Despite his personal influence and decision-making capabilities, Xi prioritizes national interests over personal relationships.
Xi is not just the curious junior official who once toured Iowa farms. This time, he will arrive in Washington D.C. as one of the most decisive political figures of the 21st century.
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