Zeng Qinghong, born in 1939, became member of the Politburo Standing Committee and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee during the 16th Party Congress in 2002.
The very next year – 2003 he was chosen to become the Vice President of China during the elections of National People’s Congress.
Zeng a native of Jiangxi Province graduated at the Beijing Institute of Technology. And like eight other member of the Standing Committee, he is also an engineer by vocation. He, however, specialises in automatic control systems.
He joined the Communist Party of China in April 1960. He belongs to the elite group of China’s Communist called ‘Crown prince Party’, the children of revolutionaries.
In the early part of his career, he served as a technician in the military defence industry in Beijing. He was sent to do manual labour on PLA bases in Hunan and Guangdong during the Cultural Revolution. With the opening of the reform era, Zeng joined the State Development and Reform Commission in 1979 and then held a series of management positions in the state petroleum sector.
In 1984, Zeng moved to Shanghai Municipal Government and became a key ally of Jiang Zemin. So, when Jiang was elevated to national leadership in Beijing he made Qinghong a trusted advisor.
Soon, he became the right-hand man of Jiang and broadened his thinking. This resulted in Zeng consolidating his control over the organs responsible for the appointment of cadres to important political positions. He promoted members of ‘Shanghai clique’ to leading central and regional posts. He also advanced Jiang’s guiding political philosophy the ‘Three Represents’.
After the 16th Party Congress in 2002, he has been a member of the 16th CPC Central Committee, a member of its political bureau and of the Politburo Standing Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.
As Jiang Zemin’s power term came to an end, it was being speculated in many quarters that he preferred Zeng over Hu as his successor. But Hu prevailed in succeeding Jiang. He was also expected to succeed Hu as the Vice Chairman of Central Military Commission following Jiang’s resignation from the chairmanship. However, Xu Caihou rather than Zeng Qinghong replaced Jiang in September 2004.
Although known as Jiang loyalist, most observers are of the opinion that Zeng is more liberal than his mentor and is interested in political reforms to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the party.
