Xi Jinping, a native of Fuping, Shaanxi Province, was born in June 1953 in Beijing. He was a graduate of Tsinghua University and joined the CPC in January 1974.

After his father Xi Zhongxun, a former CPC leader, was purged during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76), Xi went to Shaanxi in 1968 where he worked in a farm before becoming the Party secretary of a village. Xi described this experience as unforgettable as he had learned a lot about people and society during his stint.

He later served as Party secretary of Zhengding County, Hebei Province, and then went to Fujian Province, where he stayed 17 years, the longest of his political career. He was vice-mayor of Xiamen, a member of the CPC Xiamen Municipal Committee, secretary of the Ningde Prefectural Committee, secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Fuzhou People's Congress.

Xi became the Party secretary of Zhejiang Province in 2002. He is said to have contributed significantly to the development of the area's privately-owned enterprises and is also well-known for his tough stance on corruption. He was appointed Shanghai Party chief on Saturday.