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September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Civic Brief • Chinese Politics

Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping is a Chinese politician who has served as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2012, and as president of the People’s Republic of China since 2013.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Xi Jinping is the paramount leader of China, holding the top party, state, and military positions since 2012-2013. His leadership shapes China's direction and its relations with countries like Canada.

What it is

Xi Jinping is a Chinese politician who has served as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2012, and as president of the People's Republic of China since 2013. He is widely described as China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, combining control of the party, state, and military.

Key details

Born in Beijing in 1953, Xi is the son of revolutionary veteran Xi Zhongxun. He rose through provincial and party positions before becoming party general secretary in 2012, succeeding Hu Jintao. In 2018, China removed the two-term limit on the presidency, allowing Xi to remain in office beyond the previous constraint. The CCP wrote Xi Jinping Thought into its constitution in 2017.

Why it matters for Canada

Canada's trade, security, human rights, and foreign-policy relations with China are strongly shaped by Xi's leadership. His concentration of authority and long-term tenure influence how Canada engages with China on issues such as economic partnership, diplomatic tensions, and global governance.

In short

  • Xi became party general secretary in 2012 and president in 2013.
  • He holds the top party, state, and military posts simultaneously.
  • Presidential term limits were removed in 2018, extending his potential tenure.
  • Xi Jinping Thought was added to the CCP constitution in 2017.
Canadian angle

Xi Jinping is relevant to Canadian readers because Canada’s trade, security, human rights, and foreign-policy relations with China are strongly shaped by his leadership.

Quick questions

Who is Xi Jinping?
Xi Jinping is a Chinese politician who has led the Chinese Communist Party since 2012 and served as president of China since 2013.
What is Xi Jinping Thought?
It is Xi's political ideology, formally called Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, which the CCP added to its constitution in 2017.
Why is Xi Jinping considered influential?
He combines the top party, state, and military posts, which gives him unusually broad political authority in China.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xi_Jinping
    Supports: Birth date; top leadership offices since 2012 and 2013; general biographical overview.
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Xi-Jinping
    Supports: Birth place and date; offices held; brief biographical context.
  3. Reuters — https://www.reuters.com/article/world/profile-chinas-president-xi-jinping-idUSBRE9610GK/
    Supports: Succeeded Hu Jintao; party chief role where genuine authority resides; presidency timeline.
  4. BBC News — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-11551399
    Supports: Party congress vote to write Xi Jinping Thought into the CCP constitution; 2018 removal of presidential term limits; overview of Xi's rise.
  5. BBC News — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-64911512
    Supports: Historic third term as president; continued power consolidation.
  6. South China Morning Post — https://www.scmp.com/topics/xi-jinping
    Supports: Election as general secretary and chairman of CMC in 2012; presidency in 2013; term-limit removal in 2018; education note.