Jia Qinglin

 Political career

An engineer by profession, and one of former President Jiang Zemin's trusted allies and protege, Jia Qinglin's rise in the politburo has been attributed due to his relationship with the former chief of state. Jia was pivotal in dealing with the Xiamen smuggling cases in the early 1990's as the Party chief in Fujian involving millionaire Lai Changxing, and some suggested Jia and his family were involved in the case. In addition, because his family was known to be involved in various smuggling and corruption scandals, his public image in Fujian has been very negative, and his approval ratings dismal. Jia was transferred to Beijing in 1996 to replace then Beijing Party-chief Chen Xitong who had been arrested on charges of corruption. Jia served as the acting Mayor, Mayor and Party Chief in Beijing, coming onto the national and international spotlight during the 50th Anniversary of PRC celebrations as the event's host.

 At the national level

Because of his high local position and his ties with then-President Jiang Zemin, in November 2002 Jia became the fourth-ranking member on the powerful Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) of the Communist Party of China. Although his ceremonial role as the Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a quasi-consultive upper house in China's political system, makes him fourth in the order of precedence, it is widely accepted that the position has very little power, perhaps the least amount of power in the nine PSC members. Jia Qinglin was the most senior Chinese official to attend the funeral of Zhao Ziyang. With the transition of authority to Hu Jintao in 2005, Jia appears to have been given the job of coordinating policy on Taiwan.

Jia's reputation has always been under considerable debate, and his future at the CCP's 17th Party Congress is under speculation. As President Hu continues to consolidate power in the Party's inner circle, it is likely that Jia will retire by 2007 in good standing.

 Career Timeline

1956-1958: Student majoring in industrial enterprise planning at Shijiazhuang Industrial Management School.

1958-1962: Student majoring in electric motor and appliance design and manufacture of the Department of Electric Power of Hebei institution of Technology(now Hebei University of Technology).

1962-1969: Technician of the Complete Plant Bureau of the First Machine-Building Industry Ministry and deputy secretary of its CYLC organization.

1969-1971: Did manual work in the May 7th Cadre School of the First Machine-Building Industry Ministry in Fengxin County, Jiangxi Province.

1971-1973: Technician of the Policy Research Office of the General Office of the First Machine-Building Industry Ministry.

1973-1978: Chief of the Product Management Bureau of the First Ministry of Machine-building Industry.

1978-1983: General manager of China National Machinery and Equipment Import and Export Corporation.

1983-1985: Director of Taiyuan Heavy Machinery Plant and secretary of its Party committee.

1985-1986: Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and its deputy secretary.

1986-1988: Deputy secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and head of the Organization Department of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee.

1988-1990: Deputy secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, president of the Party School of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and secretary of the Work Committee of Departments under the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee.

1990-1991: Deputy secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, deputy governor and acting governor of Fujian Province.

1991-1993: Deputy secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and governor of Fujian Province.

1993-1994: Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and governor of Fujian Province.

1994-1996: Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Fujian Provincial People's Congress.

1996-1997: Deputy secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, vice-mayor, acting mayor and mayor of Beijing.

1997-1999: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and mayor of Beijing.

1999-2002: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee.

2002-: Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

March 2003: Elected chairman of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.