Recently, a new face appeared by the side of the Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping during his attendance at foreign affairs activities. The man’s name is Han Shiming, holding the position of Director of the Office of the President of the People’s Republic of China. Some analysts believe that Han Shiming’s high-profile appearance is quite unusual and may overshadow the role of Cai Qi, a member of the Central Political Bureau and the Director of the General Office of the Central Committee. However, some view the role of Director of the President’s Office as not significant and the media may have exaggerated the coverage of Han Shiming.
Before and after the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, a new face accompanying Xi Jinping during foreign affairs activities drew attention. On July 29, when Xi Jinping met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta in Beijing, this man appeared in the footage reported by the CCP’s mouthpiece media CCTV.
During Xi Jinping’s meeting with Italian Prime Minister Meloni, the man sat between Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and Xi Jinping’s secretary Lu Luhua, with the name “Han Shiming” labeled on the table card, but his title was unclear. When Xi Jinping met with Timor-Leste President Ramos-Horta, “Han Shiming” sat between Wang Wentao and the Director of the National International Development Cooperation Agency of the CCP, Luo Zhaohui.
As early as June 26 this year, during Xi Jinping’s meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, “Han Shiming” had already appeared on CCTV’s report. On July 8, when Xi Jinping met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, CCTV footage showed that the title of “Han Shiming” on the table card was translated into Chinese as “Director of the Office of the President of the People’s Republic of China.”
The pro-Communist media based in Hong Kong, “Sing Tao Daily”, recently pointed out that in the list of representatives to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, there is a party delegate named “Han Shiming”, who is believed to be the same person as the “Han Shiming” mentioned. Based on the seating arrangement during his appearances, it is speculated that he also holds the position of Deputy Director of the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, with a rank equivalent to that of a deputy minister.
There is little public information available about Han Shiming. Online information indicates that he was born in 1971 and had previously served as the Deputy Secretary-General of the Hangzhou Municipal Committee of the CCP and the Secretary of the Work Committee of Directly Affiliated Institutions of the City. There are also reports claiming that he had worked in the Office of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the CCP, though the exact time he moved to Beijing is unclear.
Political commentator in the United States, Chen Pokong, believes that Han Shiming’s high-profile appearance is unusual. Recently, Chen Pokong mentioned in his self-media program that following the 20th National Congress, it is common for Cai Qi, a member of the Central Political Bureau and the Director of the General Office of the CCP to accompany Xi Jinping during his trips. However, Cai Qi has not been visible recently, suggesting a possible decrease in his prominence.
He stated that Xi Jinping holds three positions within the CCP – General Secretary of the Central Committee, Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and President of the People’s Republic of China. When Xi Jinping meets foreign dignitaries in his capacity as the “President of the People’s Republic of China” rather than the General Secretary, it is appropriate for the Director of the President’s Office to accompany him. Therefore, Han Shiming’s presence carries a certain symbolic significance, particularly highlighting Xi Jinping’s position as the President of the People’s Republic of China. Chen Pokong mentioned that while this is not a definitive conclusion, it is highly probable.
The Chairman of the China Democracy Party National Committee, Wang Juntao, believes that the role of the Director of the President’s Office is not significant, and Han Shiming’s coverage by the media is merely exaggerated.
On August 4, Wang Juntao stated in an interview with Epoch Times reporters that Han Shiming is likely temporarily placed by Xi Jinping’s side for observation, and perhaps Xi Jinping intends to promote him in the future. In comparison, the position of Director of the General Office of the Central Committee is more important.
He said, “In reality, who is by Xi Jinping’s side is not important; there are many people around him who are never publicized. What is important is what Xi Jinping intends to do. The position of the President is just symbolic, and Xi Jinping’s real power comes from being the Chairman of the Central Military Commission. Just like Deng Xiaoping back then, although he only held the position of Chairman of the Central Military Commission, even the General Secretary of the CCP had to listen to him.”
Wang Juntao believes that Cai Qi’s role has not diminished. He mentioned that Xi Jinping has more trust in Cai Qi, but Cai Qi’s authority ultimately comes from Xi Jinping and cannot surpass him. Previously, whenever Xi Jinping made public appearances, Cai Qi would also be present. Recently, there have been rumors about Xi Jinping’s health issues, leading to a decrease in his public appearances, and subsequently, a reduction in Cai Qi’s visibility.
After the Chinese Communist Party took power, Mao Zedong became the President of the People’s Republic of China in 1954 and established the Office of the President, with Zhang Jingwu serving as the Director. When Liu Shaoqi succeeded Mao Zedong as President in 1959, Zhang Jingwu continued in the role. However, this institution did not have actual duties, and Zhang Jingwu mainly served as the CCP’s representative in Tibet and Deputy Minister of the Central United Front Work Department.
In the 1980s, when Li Xiannian and Yang Shangkun assumed the presidency of the People’s Republic of China, they were essentially figurehead presidents without a formal office. When Jiang Zemin became the President in 1993, the Office of the President was established, with Jia Ting’an appointed as the Director, known externally as the “Director of the Office of Chairman Jiang Zemin.” Jia Ting’an also entered the military, subsequently becoming the Director of the General Office of the CCP Central Military Commission and Deputy Head of the General Political Department, with the rank of General.
Since 2003, during Hu Jintao’s presidency of the People’s Republic of China, Chen Shijie served as the Director of the Office of the President. He had been Hu Jintao’s secretary since his time in Guizhou and Tibet. In 2013, Chen Shijie became a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and later served as a department-level Deputy Director of the Central Office.
When Xi Jinping assumed the presidency of the People’s Republic of China in 2013, Ding Xuexiang was transferred from Shanghai to Beijing to serve as the Deputy Director of the Central Office and Director of the Office of the President. Since Ding Xuexiang was promoted to a member of the Central Political Bureau and Director of the General Office of the CCP at the 19th National Congress, it has not been publicly reported who succeeded the position of Director of the Office of the President.