Hu Jintao

Guide Note

Hu Jintao is the President of the People's Republic of China, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China. Hu Jintao has generally taken a more conservative and restrictive position, policy wise, than his predecessor, Jiang Zemin. Though he had been working as a governor in various provinces for several years prior, Hu made a name for himself politically with his performance as Party Chief of the Tibet Autonomous Region. While he did introduce some liberalization of rules governing cultural practices in the region, he was also responsible for the 1988 political crackdown and some foreign media have implicated him in the sudden 1989 death of the Panchen Lama. As President of China, Hu has tried to balance the driving direction of the country from "GDP first and welfare second," to a more moderate, gradual, approach to development.

Fast Facts

Born: December 21, 1942
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China: Assumed office November 15, 2002
President of the People's Republic of China: Assumed office March 15, 2003
Chairman of the Central Military Commission: Assumed office September 19, 2004
Preceded by Jiang Zamin
Married to Liu Yongqing
Graduate of Tsinghua University
Trained as an engineer
Former Party Chief of the Tibet Autonomous Region
Still officially recognized by the Communist Party of China as a delegate from Tibet

Also try: China Succession | Wen Jiabao

The Mahalo Top 7

Wikipedia: Hu Jintao
Forbes: China's Hu Meets Former Head of Taiwan's Kuomintang Party (April 30, 2008)
The Guardian: Hu: China Must Rely Less on Exports for Growth (April 29, 2008)
Christian Science Monitor: China's Hu: Well Liked, Little Known (April 19, 2006)
NPR: China's President Hu Jintao to Talk Business in U.S. (April 17, 2006)
TIME: Requiem for Reform? (January 23, 2005)
YouTube Video: Hu Jintao: Taiwan Independence Activities Doomed to Fail (Time: 4:10)

Hu Jintao Recent News

The New York Times: Hu Jintao News
Google News: Hu Jintao
Wall Street Journal: China's Hu to Go to Japan (April 30, 2008)
Agence France-Presse: Japan Says Gap with China on Gas Row Ahead of Hu Visit (April 30, 2008)
FOX News: Hu Jintao Re-Elected to 5-Year Term as China President (March 15, 2008)
Reuters: China president calls on army to step up capabilities (March 10, 2008)
Jane's: Chinese president pledges increase in pace of military modernization(October 17,2007)
China Daily: Smiling Hu Joins CPC Delegates in Discussion (October 17, 2007)
The Hindu: Hu Jintao vows to reverse income disparity(October 16,2007)
BBC News: China Communists 'Falling Short' (October 15, 2007)
New York Times: New China Hierarchy May Limit President’s Power(October 13,2007)
Asia Times: All Hail Hu Jintao (September 22, 2007)
BBC News: China's Hu in Product Safety Vow (September 6, 2007)
BBC News: Bush and Hu Hold 'Friendly' Talks (September 6, 2007)
People's Daily: Chinese President Meets Yale University Delegation (May 17, 2007)

Hu Jintao Background and Profiles

BBC News: China's Leader Shows His Stripes (January 11, 2005)
CNN.com: Who is Hu Jintao? (November 7, 2002)

Profiles

Official Site: Hu Jintao
China Vitae: Hu Jintao
BBC News: Profile: Hu Jintao

Secretary of Tibet

Wikipedia: Hu Jintao: Working in TIbet
International Campaign for hu jindao; who jintao; who jindao; wu jintao; hu gintao; hu gindao; hoo jintao; hoo jindao; Tibet: Background Information on Hu JinTao
Xinhua News: Hu Jintao: Harmony, Stability Prerequisite for Tibet Development (March 5, 2007)

SARS Crisis

Embassy of the PRC: Hu Jintao: SARS Prevention, Economic Progress Both Key (May 15, 2003)
In the National Interest: SARS and the Leadership Struggle in China (May 7, 2003)
New York Times:
- Possible Next Patient: The Chinese Leadership (April 25, 2003)
- China Discovers Secrecy Is Expensive (April 13, 2003)
- Rude Awakening (May 13, 2003)

Succession of Jiang Zemin

UCLA International Institute: Jiang Zemin Steps Down --What Next for China? (September 20, 2004)
New York Times: Hu Takes Military Reins, Completing Shift in China (September 20, 2004)
China Daily: Jiang Retires, Proposes Hu to Succeed (September 19, 2004)
BBC News: Profile: Jiang Zemin

Hu Jintao Blogs and Commentaries

Zhonnanhai Blog: Hu Jintao 'Correctly' Deals with the Taiwan Question
Pie & Hammer: The P&H Guide to China’s 17th Party Congress
Useless Tree: Ancient Thinkers at the Party Congress
NewsBusters: What Is Hu? A 'Centrist' Communist?

Hu Jintao Photos

Wikipedia: Hu Jintao
China Daily: Hu Jintao
The White House: President Bush Meets with Chinese President Hu Jintao
Yahoo! Image Search: Hu Jintao
Google Image Search: Hu Jintao
Flickr Search: Hu Jintao

Hu Jintao Videos

Google Video Search: Hu Jintao
CNN Video: Hu's Plan for China (Time 2:35)
MarketWatch: China Pledges Economic Reforms (Time 1:49)
YouTube: President Hu Jintao Heckled at the White House (Time 2:39)

Huge Jintao Criticism and Controversy

Amnesty International: One Year Left to Fulfil Human Rights Promises (August 7, 2007)
Epoch Times: "Hu Jintao Visits Sudan, Supports Darfur Genocide" (Mar 04, 2007)
BBC News: China's 'Peaceful Rise' Running into Criticism
Hoover Institution: China Under Hu Jintao (2005)

Hu Jintao Timeline

1942: December 21, Hu Jintao is born in Jiangsu province
1964: As a student in Tsinghua University, Hu Jintao joins the Communist Part of China
1964: Around this time, Hu Jintao marries Liu Yongqing
1974: While working as an engineer, Hu Jintao meets Song Ping who introduces him to politics
1981: Hu Jintao attends the Central Party School
1984: Hu Jintao is promoted to First Secretary of the Youth League Central Committee
1985: Hu Jintao is appointed governor of Guizhou
1988: Hu Jintao is appointed Party Chief of the Tibet Autonomous Region
1992: At the 14th National Congress, Hu Jintao is named a member of the Politburo Standing Comittee
1993: Hu Jintao takes over as leader of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Comittee
1998: Hu Jintao is named Vice President of China
2002: Hu Jintao becomes the Party General Secretary, Jiang Zemin refuses to hand over the presidency
2003: Hu Jintao is forced to address the SARS Crisis
2004: Jiang Zemin gives up his last position in the CPC, finally handing control over to Hu Jintao

Hu Jintao Satire and Humor

CoxAndForkum: "China Syndrome" (2006)
China Nouvelle: Hu Jintao Charicature
Guardian: Hu Jintao and George W. Bush Cartoon
Friends of Tibet: Hu Jintao and the Dali Lama