Wang Huning

Wang Huning (Chinese: 王沪宁; born October 6, 1955) is a Chinese political theorist and one of the top leaders of the Communist Party of China, a current member of the party's Politburo Standing Committee (China's top decision-making body) and first-ranked secretary of the party's Secretariat. He served as secretary of the Secretariat between 2007 and 2012, and as the head of the Central Policy Research Office from 2002 through 2020. He was named chairman of Central Guidance Commission on Building Spiritual Civilization in November 2017.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Wang (王)'.
Wang Huning
王沪宁
First Secretary of the Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of China
Assumed office
25 October 2017
General SecretaryXi Jinping
Preceded byLiu Yunshan
Director of the Central Policy Research Office
In office
November 2002 – October 2020
DeputyHe Yiting
Zheng Xinli
General secretaryHu Jintao
Xi Jinping
Preceded byTeng Wensheng
Succeeded byJiang Jinquan
Director of the Central Guidance Commission on Building Spiritual Civilization
Assumed office
November 2017
DeputyLiu Yandong
Liu Qibao
Preceded byLiu Yunshan
Personal details
Born (1955-10-06) 6 October 1955
Shanghai
Political party Communist Party of China
Alma materFudan University
East China Normal University
Wang Huning
"Wang Huning" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
Simplified Chinese王沪宁
Traditional Chinese王滬寧
Literal meaningWang (surname) Shanghai-Nanjing
Movements in contemporary
Chinese political thought
Liberalism
Neoauthoritarianism
New Conservatism
New Confucianism
New Left

Wang is believed to have been one of the principal architects behind the official political ideologies of three paramount leaders: "Three Represents" by Jiang Zemin, the Scientific Development Concept by Hu Jintao, and the Chinese Dream and Xi Jinping Thought of Xi Jinping.

Early life

Born in Shanghai,[1] Wang traces his heritage to Ye County, Shandong province. Wang's name, "Huning", literally means "Shanghai and Nanjing”. Wang was recommended to enter Shanghai Normal University in 1974 to study the French language. He was enrolled in the Department of International Politics at Fudan University in 1977 to pursue his postgraduate degree, while conducting research for the Shanghai Academy of Social Science. His mentors were Chen Qiren and Wang Bangzuo. After graduation, Wang stayed at Fudan University, and by 1985 was named professor of law at age 30, becoming the youngest law professor in the history of the university.[2]

In 1988, Wang was a visiting scholar in the United States for six months, spending the first three months at The University of Iowa, three weeks at the University of California, Berkeley, and visiting many other universities. This experience led to his 1991 book America Against America.[3] In 2021 the book received renewed interest in the aftermath of the storming of the United States Capitol, with some used copies surging to 16,600 yuan ($2500) on antiques sites.[4]

Beginning in the 1980s, Wang wrote columns and essays for numerous party-sanctioned publications and once appeared on the cover of news magazine Banyuetan (半月谈). His work attracted attention from political leaders in Shanghai. In 1993, Wang led the Fudan student debate team to participate in a Chinese-language international college debate competition held in Singapore. The team won the championship between 1988 and 1993, greatly enhancing Wang's reputation.[2]

Political career

From 1995, Wang was referred to work for the party's central authorities on recommendation from top Shanghai politicians Zeng Qinghong and Wu Bangguo, both of whom maintained close relationships with then-party General Secretary Jiang Zemin. Wang initially headed the political research team at the Central Policy Research Office, and was promoted in April 1998 to deputy director of the Office. He was promoted to director of the Office in 2002.[5][6] Wang was regarded as one of major brain-powers of Jiang Zemin and participated in the drafting of the "Three Represents" ideology, regarded as the main theoretical contribution of Jiang to the party's ideological lexicon.[7][8]

In November 2007, Wang was admitted to the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China. He began accompanying General Secretary Hu Jintao on foreign trips, and played a leading role in drafting the "Scientific Outlook on Development" ideology of Hu Jintao.[8]

He was elected to the 18th Politburo of the Communist Party of China in November 2012, becoming the first director of the Policy Research Office to hold a seat on the elite ruling council. Following the ascension of Xi Jinping to the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China in November 2012, Wang nurtured a close relationship with Xi, again emerging as one of the central members of Xi's entourage on international trips and seen to be one of Xi's closest advisors.[9][10] He has helped in the construction of the "Chinese Dream"[11] and "Xi Jinping Thought" ideologies.[12]

Wang was a member of 16th, 17th and 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and is currently a member of the 19th.[13]

Wang authored several books, including Logic of Politics - the Principal of Marxism Politics, America against America, General Introduction to New Politics, Analysis of Modern Western Politics, Analysis of Comparative Politics and Debate Contest in Lion City.

Wang was chosen to be a member of the 19th Politburo Standing Committee, China's top decision-making body, at the 1st Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on 25 October 2017.[14]

Personal life

Family

Wang's first wife, Zhou Qi, 3 years older, ended in divorce after he went to Zhongnanhai in 1996. They had no children. He later married a nurse in Zhongnanhai. They have one child.[15]

Public perceptions

As Xi's top foreign policy aide, he has been described as "China's Kissinger" by South Korean newspaper The Hankyoreh.[16] He was also compared to Henry Kissinger by The Guardian.[17]

Bibliography
  • 1995, Political Life
  • 1994, Political Logic
  • 1993, Debate in Lion Castle
  • 1991, America Against America
  • 1991, Culture of Contemporary Chinese Village Family
  • 1990, Corruption and Anti-Corruption: Study of Contemporary Oversees Corruption Problem
  • 1990, Anti-Corruption: Experiment in China
  • 1989, Collection of Wang Huning
  • 1989, Analysis of Administrative Ecology
  • 1988, Introduction to Public Administration
  • 1988, Analysis of Contemporary Western Politics
  • 1987, Analysis of Comparative Politics
  • 1987, National Sovereignty

See also

References
  1. "Wang Huning - One of China's Top Future Leaders to Watch". Brookings. 2013-05-31. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  2. 大专辩论会与王沪宁. 2014-11-06.
  3. Yi, Wang (6 November 2017). "Meet the mastermind behind Xi Jinping's power". The Washington Post. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  4. "A $2,500 Book on U.S. Decline Is Suddenly a Must-Read in China". Bloomberg News. January 13, 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  5. "Biography of Wang Huning". China Vitae. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  6. Page, Jeremy (2013-06-05). "The Wonk With the Ear of Chinese President Xi Jinping". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  7. "The meaning of the man behind China's ideology". The Economist. 2017-11-02. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  8. Huang, Yuanxi (11 October 2012). "Wang Huning, often seen at the side of two presidents". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  9. "Brains behind the 'China Dream'". The Straits Times. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  10. "Party theorist behind three Chinese presidents moves to top spot". South China Morning Post. 2017-10-21. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  11. 胡少江评论：从三个代表到中国梦，王沪宁江郎才尽. Radio Free Asia (Cantonese service). 2013-04-26.
  12. Perlez, Jane (2017-11-13). "Behind the Scenes, Communist Strategist Presses China's Rise". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  13. "Wang Huning -- Member of Standing Committee of Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  14. Wen, Philip; Blanchard, Ben (24 October 2017). "China unveils new leadership line-up with no clear successor to Xi". Reuters. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  15. "Wang Huning 王沪宁" (PDF). Brookings. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  16. Jakhar, Pratik (2017-10-08). "China party congress: The rising stars of China's Communist Party". BBC News.
  17. Kong, Tom Phillips Benjamin Haas in Hong (2017-10-25). "The omnipotent seven: meet the men who make up China's new politburo". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
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