China’s New Rulers

Other than Li Keqiang, Xi’s Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) is packed with new faces

XI JINPING, 64

President, General Secretary & Chairman of Central Military Commission

Xi has now consolidated his status as the CPC’s third leading ideologue after Mao and Deng, paving the way for an extended tenure at the helm

LI KEQIANG, 62

Premier of the State Council

Once an ally of former leader Hu Jintao, has earned a second term for loyalty to Xi though with a diminished role from past premiers

LI ZHANSHU, 67

Chairman, National People’s Congress (Parliament) Having been Xi’s close aide and head of CPC nerve centrethe General Office-in the first term, will act as trusted enforcer of Xi’s will on PSC

WANG YANG, 62

Chairman, Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (Upper house) Chosen despite his closeness to former leader Hu Jintao and the second Hu ally in the PSC after Li. Seen as a reformer and best bet to push reforms

WANG HUNING, 62

Secretary, Central Secratariat; Propaganda and Ideology Another Xi confidant now in the party’s highest body, credited as the brains behind Xi’s “China Dream” and “One Belt, One Road” campaigns, who started out as a French-speaking foreign policy scholar

ZHAO LEJI, 60

Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Yet another Xi ally and lynchpin Party man who formerly led the powerful Organisation Department that controls personnel appointments, hailing from Xi’s home province of Shaanxi

HAN ZHENG, 63

Executive Vice Premier, Economic Affairs

The business-friendly former mayor got to know Xi when he briefly served as party chief in Shanghai, earning his confidence despite close ties with Jiang Zemin