Career Timeline of Xi Jinping: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Xi Jinping built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Xi Jinping is the current paramount leader of China, holding the positions of General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) since 2012, and President of China since 2013. He is a member of the fifth generation of Chinese leadership and the first CCP General Secretary born after the establishment of the People's Republic of China.
1973: Assigned to Zhaojiahe Village
In 1973, Yanchuan County assigned Xi Jinping to Zhaojiahe Village to lead social education efforts, later returning to Liangjiahe Village in July.
1974: Approved to Join Chinese Communist Party
In early 1974, Xi Jinping's application to the Chinese Communist Party was approved.
1975: Recommended to Tsinghua University
In 1975, Xi Jinping was recommended for admission to Tsinghua University and began studying chemical engineering.
April 1979: Assigned to General Office of the State Council
In April 1979, Xi Jinping was assigned to the General Office of the State Council and the General Office of the CPC Central Military Commission.
1979: Graduated from Tsinghua University
In 1979, Xi Jinping graduated from Tsinghua University with a degree in chemical engineering.
March 25, 1982: Appointed Deputy Party Secretary of Zhengding County
On March 25, 1982, Xi Jinping was appointed deputy party secretary of Zhengding County in Hebei.
July 1983: Initiated Development Projects in Zhengding
In July 1983, as the secretary of the CCP Zhengding County Committee, Xi Jinping initiated several development projects, boosting the county's tourism industry and economy.
1983: Agricultural Structure Adjustment in Zhengding
In 1983, Zhengding adjusted its agricultural structure, leading to a significant increase in farmers' incomes.
September 1984: Strategic Vision Highlighted
In September 1984, Xi Jinping's strategic vision and understanding of Zhengding County's development were highlighted during a briefing session.
1984: Farmers' Incomes Increased in Zhengding
In 1984, farmers' incomes in Zhengding significantly increased, solving the county's economic issues.
June 1985: Became Vice-Mayor of Xiamen
In June 1985, Xi Jinping became the vice-mayor of Xiamen and drafted the city's first strategic plan.
1985: Tour as a Hebei Provincial official
In 1985, Xi Jinping did a tour as a Hebei provincial official and was hosted by a family during his visit to Iowa.
1985: Transferred to Xiamen as Vice Mayor
In 1985, Xi Jinping was transferred to Xiamen as a member of the Standing Committee of the CCP Xiamen Municipal Committee and as vice mayor.
September 1988: Appointed Secretary of Ningde
In September 1988, Xi Jinping was appointed as the secretary of Ningde, and worked to eradicate poverty.
May 1990: Assigned to Fuzhou City as Municipal Committee Secretary
In May 1990, the CCP Fujian Provincial Committee assigned Xi Jinping to Fuzhou City as the Municipal Committee Secretary.
1995: Elevated to Deputy Secretary of Fujian Provincial Committee
In 1995, Xi Jinping was elevated to deputy secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, increasing his influence in the region.
1997: Named Alternate Member of CCP Central Committee
In 1997, Xi Jinping was named an alternate member of the 15th CCP Central Committee, marking a step in his political career.
1999: Became Governor of Fujian
In 1999, Xi Jinping became the Governor of Fujian province, marking a significant step in his political career.
1999: Promoted to Vice Governor of Fujian
In 1999, Xi Jinping was promoted to the office of Vice Governor of Fujian, marking a significant advancement in his career.
2000: Drafted plan for Xiamen Economic and Social Development Strategy
In 2000, Xi drafted the development of the first strategic plan for the city, the Xiamen Economic and Social Development Strategy.
2002: Became Governor and Party Secretary of Zhejiang
In 2002, Xi Jinping became the Governor and Party Secretary of Zhejiang province, further advancing his political career.
2002: Took leading political positions in Zhejiang
In 2002, Xi Jinping left Fujian and took up leading political positions in Zhejiang, eventually becoming the provincial Party Committee secretary.
2002: 16th Party Congress affirmation of principles
In 2002, the 16th Party Congress affirmed nine principles that were continuously affirmed until the 19th Party Congress in 2017.
2002: Served as Governor of Fujian until 2002
Xi Jinping served as Governor of Fujian until 2002, presenting the notion of "Megalopolises" and advocating for the inter-island growth strategy of Fuzhou and Xiamen.
2004: Li Qiang acted as Xi's chief of staff
Between 2004 and 2007, Li Qiang acted as Xi Jinping's chief of staff through his position as secretary-general of the Zhejiang Party Committee, where they developed close mutual ties.
September 2006: Dismissal of Shanghai Party secretary Chen Liangyu
In September 2006, the Shanghai Party secretary Chen Liangyu was dismissed due to a social security fund scandal, which later led to Xi Jinping's transfer to Shanghai.
March 2007: Transferred to Shanghai as Party Secretary
In March 2007, Xi Jinping was transferred to Shanghai following the dismissal of Chen Liangyu, and he served as the party secretary there for seven months.
October 2007: Joined Politburo Standing Committee
In October 2007, Xi Jinping joined the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) of the CCP and became the first-ranking secretary of the Central Secretariat.
2007: Li Qiang acted as Xi's chief of staff until 2007
Between 2004 and 2007, Li Qiang acted as Xi Jinping's chief of staff through his position as secretary-general of the Zhejiang Party Committee, where they developed close mutual ties.
March 2008: Elected Vice President of the PRC
In March 2008, Xi Jinping was elected as vice president of the PRC at the 11th National People's Congress, further solidifying his position as a successor.
June 2008: First foreign trip as Vice President
From 17 to 25 June 2008, Xi Jinping made his first foreign trip as vice president to North Korea, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Yemen.
2008: Designated as Hu Jintao's Successor
In 2008, Xi Jinping was designated as Hu Jintao's presumed successor as paramount leader, and was appointed the eighth vice president and vice chairman of the CMC.
December 2009: Visit to Asian Countries
From 14 to 22 December 2009, Xi Jinping visited Japan, South Korea, Cambodia, and Myanmar on his Asian trip.
2009: Ensuring social stability during politically sensitive anniversaries
In 2009, Xi Jinping was reportedly at the helm of a top-level CCP committee dubbed the 6521 Project, which was charged with ensuring social stability during a series of politically sensitive anniversaries.
2010: Xi Jinping's visit to Chongqing
In 2010, Xi Jinping visited Chongqing, where he praised Bo Xilai's policies, which were later erased after Xi became paramount leader.
February 2012: Visit to the United States, Ireland and Turkey
In February 2012, Xi Jinping visited the United States, Ireland, and Turkey, meeting with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
November 2012: Elected General Secretary of the CCP and Chairman of the CMC
On 15 November 2012, Xi Jinping was elected to the posts of general secretary of the CCP and chairman of the CMC, becoming the paramount leader of China.
December 2012: First trip outside Beijing as Party Leader
In December 2012, Xi Jinping visited Guangdong in his first trip outside Beijing since taking the Party leadership, calling for further economic reform.
2012: Increase in Private Sector Market Value
From 2012, there was an increase in the share of the market value of private sector firms in China's top listed companies.
2012: Economy at $8.5 Trillion
In 2012, China's economy was at $8.5 trillion when Xi took office.
2012: Became General Secretary of the CCP and Chairman of the CMC
In 2012, Xi Jinping became the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), making him the paramount leader of China.
March 2013: Elected President of China
On 14 March 2013, Xi Jinping was elected president of China, succeeding Hu Jintao. Shortly after, he met with the chief executive of Hong Kong and discussed cyber security with U.S. President Barack Obama.
November 2013: Reform Agenda and National Security Commission
In November 2013, at the conclusion of the Third Plenum of the 18th Central Committee, the Communist Party delivered a reform agenda and formed a new National Security Commission with Xi Jinping at its helm.
2013: Creation of Central Leading Groups
Beginning in 2013, the CCP under Xi Jinping created a series of Central Leading Groups to bypass existing institutions in policy-making.
2013: Became President of China
In 2013, Xi Jinping became the President of China, solidifying his position as the country's leader.
2013: Launch of Shanghai Free-Trade Zone
In 2013, Xi Jinping launched the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone as part of his economic reforms.
2013: Rehabilitation of Ancient Chinese Philosophers
In 2013, Xi Jinping oversaw the rehabilitation of ancient Chinese philosophical figures like Han Fei into mainstream Chinese thought. He also quoted Confucius at a meeting with officials.
September 2014: Publication of "The Governance of China" Volume One
In September 2014, the Foreign Languages Press published the first volume of Xi Jinping's "The Governance of China" book series for an international audience.
October 2014: Speech at the Forum on Literature and Art
In October 2014, Xi Jinping delivered a 'Speech at the Forum on Literature and Art,' emulating the Yan'an Forum. He stated that works of art should be judged by political criteria, rejecting the concept of art-for-art's-sake.
November 2015: Meeting with Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou
In November 2015, Xi Jinping met with Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, marking the first meeting between leaders from both sides since 1950.
2015: Met Ma Ying-jeou
In 2015, Xi Jinping met with Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou, before relations deteriorated under Tsai Ing-wen.
January 2016: Two-Child Policy Replaces One-Child Policy
In January 2016, a two-child policy replaced the one-child policy in China.
2016: Received Title of Leadership Core
In 2016, Xi Jinping officially received the title of leadership core from the CCP.
September 2017: Xi Jinping Thought Added to Party Constitution
In September 2017, the CCP Central Committee decided that "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" would become part of the Party Constitution.
October 2017: Mention of Thought on Socialism
In October 2017, Xi Jinping first mentioned the "Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" in his opening day speech to the 19th Party Congress.
November 2017: Publication of "The Governance of China" Volume Two
In November 2017, the Foreign Languages Press published the second volume of Xi Jinping's "The Governance of China" book series.
2017: Xi visits Hong Kong as president
In 2017, Xi Jinping visited Hong Kong as president during the 20th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong.
2017: Announcement of Xiong'an New Area
In 2017, Xi Jinping was involved in the development of Xiong'an, a new area planned to become a major metropolis near Beijing.
2017: 19th Party Congress
In 2017, at the 19th Party Congress, Xi reaffirmed six principles continuously affirmed since 2002, but omitted "Placing hopes on the Taiwan people as a force to help bring about unification", and used stronger language on potential Taiwan independence.
March 2018: Xi Jinping Thought added to state constitution
In March 2018, the National People's Congress changed the state constitution to include Xi Jinping Thought.
2018: Creation of a performance-review system for officials
In 2018, Xi Jinping created a performance-review system to give evaluations on officials on various measures, including loyalty.
2018: Promise to Continue Reforms
In 2018, Xi Jinping promised to continue reforms but warned that nobody "can dictate to the Chinese people."
2018: Overhaul of CCP and State Bodies
In 2018, Xi Jinping's administration implemented a large overhaul of the structure of the CCP and state bodies.
2018: Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms
In 2018, the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms was upgraded to a commission led by Xi.
2018: Constitutional Amendments and Xi's Reappointment
In 2018, the National People's Congress passed constitutional amendments, removing term limits for the president and vice president and reappointing Xi Jinping as president without term limits. Li Keqiang was reappointed premier.
2019: "Xuexi Qiangguo" App Popularity
In 2019, "Xuexi Qiangguo", an app for teaching Xi Jinping Thought, became the most popular smartphone app in China.
September 2020: China's climate target announcement
In September 2020, Xi Jinping announced that China will strengthen its 2030 climate target, peak emissions before 2030, and aim to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.
2020: Formulation of "Three Red Lines" Policy
In 2020, Xi Jinping's government formulated the "three red lines" policy aimed at deleveraging the heavily indebted property sector.
2020: Record Spending on R&D
In 2020, domestic spending on R&D significantly increased, surpassing the European Union (EU) and reaching a record $564 billion.
May 2021: Three-Child Policy Introduced
In May 2021, the two-child policy was replaced with a three-child policy.
July 2021: Removal of Family Size Limits
In July 2021, all family size limits and penalties for exceeding them were removed.
September 2021: China will not build coal-fired power projects abroad
In September 2021, Xi Jinping announced that China will not build "coal-fired power projects abroad, which was said to be potentially "pivotal" in reducing emissions.
November 2021: CCP Adopts Historical Resolution
In November 2021, the CCP adopted a historical resolution during its sixth plenary session, promoting the terms Two Establishes and Two Upholds to unite the party around Xi's leadership.
2021: 100th Anniversary of the CCP Speech
During the 100th anniversary of the CCP in 2021, Xi Jinping emphasized the party's leadership as essential for China's national rejuvenation and the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
2021: Victory Over Extreme Poverty Declared
In 2021, Xi Jinping declared a "complete victory" over extreme poverty, claiming nearly 100 million people were lifted out of poverty under his tenure.
2021: Quoting the Yan'an Talks
In 2021, Xi Jinping quoted the Yan'an Talks during the opening ceremony of the 11th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the 10th National Congress of the Chinese Writers Association, reinforcing his view that art should serve national goals.
2021: Promotion of "Common Prosperity"
Since 2021, Xi Jinping has promoted the term "common prosperity," defining it as an "essential requirement of socialism" and using it to justify crackdowns on various sectors.
July 2022: Xi visits Xinjiang
In July 2022, Xi Jinping visited Xinjiang, urging local officials to listen to the people's voices and preserve ethnic minority culture. He also praised the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.
July 2022: Xi and top leaders take local COVID-19 vaccines
On July 23, 2022, the National Health Commission reported that Xi Jinping and other top leaders have taken the local COVID-19 vaccines.
October 2022: Secured Third Term as CCP General Secretary
In October 2022, Xi Jinping secured a third term as CCP General Secretary, further consolidating his power.
October 2022: 20th National Congress of the CCP and Xi's Re-election
In October 2022, the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party resulted in amendments to the CCP constitution and the re-election of Xi Jinping as general secretary of the CCP and chairman of the CMC for a third term, further solidifying his power.
December 2022: Easing of COVID-19 restrictions
In December 2022, China announced large-scale changes to its COVID-19 policy, including allowing quarantine at home for mild infections and reducing PCR testing.
2022: Shift in IPO Locations
As of 2022, Xi Jinping's administration has overseen a decrease in offshore IPOs by Chinese companies, with most taking place in Shanghai or Shenzhen.
2022: Increase in Private Sector Market Value
By 2022, the share of the market value of private sector firms in China's top listed companies increased to over 40%.
2022: Xi visits Hong Kong and swears in John Lee
In 2022, Xi Jinping visited Hong Kong during the 25th anniversary of the handover and swore in John Lee as chief executive.
March 2023: Re-elected State President for Third Term
In March 2023, Xi Jinping was re-elected as state president for a third term, solidifying his position as leader.
March 2023: Re-election as PRC President and Chairman
In March 2023, during the opening of the 14th National People's Congress, Xi Jinping was re-elected as the PRC president and chairman of the PRC Central Military Commission, while Li Qiang succeeded Li Keqiang as Premier.
August 2023: Xi visits Xinjiang and calls for tourism
In August 2023, Xi Jinping visited Xinjiang, stating the region was "no longer a remote area" and should open up more for tourism.
2023: Economy at $17.8 Trillion
By 2023, China's economy had grown to $17.8 trillion, though growth slowed to 5.2%.
2023: Promotion of New Productive Forces
In 2023, Xi Jinping put forward new productive forces, referring to a new form of productive forces derived from continuous sci-tech breakthroughs and innovation.
2023: Unveiling the Global Civilisation Initiative
In 2023, Xi Jinping unveiled the Global Civilisation Initiative, calling for respecting diversity, advocating common values, valuing inheritance and innovation, and strengthening international exchanges.
2025: Made in China 2025 plan
Xi's administration has promoted Made in China 2025 plan that aims to make China self-reliant in key technologies
2030: Reference to China's 2030 climate target
In September 2020, Xi Jinping announced that China will strengthen its 2030 climate target, peak emissions before 2030, and aim to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.
2060: Reference to China's 2060 carbon neutrality goal
In September 2020, Xi Jinping announced that China will strengthen its 2030 climate target, peak emissions before 2030, and aim to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.
