TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Vice President Han Zheng, China’s consultant at Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, is a trusted adviser to President Xi Jinping, a long-time survivor of Chinese language politics who rose from toiling on a collective farm and in factories to changing into probably the most highly effective folks within the nation.
China’s choice to ship Han, quite than its ambassador to Washington as is common, seems to be a fastidiously calibrated sign that it’s keen to enhance relations with the U.S., whereas not leaving Xi uncovered to criticism ought to ties worsen.
Lots of the most divisive bilateral points contain commerce, with Trump threatening to impose 60% tariffs on imports from China, however relations have additionally frayed over expertise and China’s strikes to say its territorial claims within the South China Sea.
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Like many younger Chinese language, Han was despatched to the countryside throughout the Cultural Revolution to “be taught from the peasants” on orders from then-leader Mao Zedong. Many on their return to the cities discovered jobs in state-run industries.
Han, 70, rose up the ranks within the monetary heart of Shanghai throughout the Nineteen Eighties and Nineties, simply as China’s economic system was catching fireplace, concurrently holding Communist Celebration and managerial positions within the chemical and rubber industries. There he caught the attention of senior leaders and was elevated to district-level governance earlier than changing into the town’s mayor after which get together secretary, the town’s highest place, following a monetary scandal involving his predecessor. Xi had briefly held the place after the scandal, giving Han entry to him earlier than him turned China’s new chief.
In 2017, Han reached the apex of Chinese language political energy, the get together’s seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, and after serving one five-year time period was given the place of vp, a place Xi has imbued with new weight as adviser and envoy.
All through his profession, Han has proven a aptitude for low-key diplomacy, serving to to take care of unrest in Hong Kong and attending quite a few worldwide occasions such because the United Nations Normal Meeting.
On Sunday, Han met with U.S. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance and U.S. enterprise leaders, together with Elon Musk, in Washington on the eve of the inauguration.
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