Vice President Han Zheng, China’s representative at Trump’s inauguration, is a trusted adviser to Xi

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This article was published 20/01/2025 (284 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Vice President Han Zheng, China’s representative at Donald Trump’s inauguration, is a trusted adviser to President Xi Jinping and a long-time survivor of Chinese politics who rose from toiling on a collective farm and in factories to becoming one of the most powerful people in the country.

Why was Han chosen for this sensitive mission?

China’s decision to send Han, rather than its ambassador to Washington as it has in the past, appears to be a carefully calibrated signal that it is willing to improve relations with the U.S. while not leaving Xi exposed to criticism should ties worsen.

Many of the most divisive bilateral issues involve trade, with Trump threatening to impose 60% tariffs on imports from China. But relations have also frayed over technology and China’s moves to assert its territorial claims in the South China Sea and over Taiwan. Han has extensive experience with both diplomacy — particularly meeting and greeting foreign delegations — and with projecting China’s key concerns in a lower-key manner than some Chinese officials.

What’s Han’s background?

Han was born in the commercial hub of Shanghai in 1954, five years after the communist revolution, when much of the city’s well established foreign influence was being swept away. Like many young Chinese, Han was sent to the countryside during the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution to “learn from the peasants” on orders from then-leader Mao Zedong. Many of such “sent down youth” on their return to the cities found jobs in state-run industries.

Han rose up the in Shanghai during the 1980s and 1990s, just as China’s economy was catching fire, concurrently holding Communist Party and managerial positions in the chemical and rubber industries. There he caught the eye of senior leaders and was elevated to district-level government before becoming the Shanghai’s mayor and then party secretary, the city’s highest position, following a financial scandal involving his predecessor. Xi had briefly held the position after the scandal, giving Han direct access to him before him became China’s new leader.

What impact is Han’s visit likely to have?

In 2017, Han reached the apex of Chinese political power, the party’s seven-member Politburo Standing Committee. After serving one five-year term, he was given the position of vice president, a post that Xi has imbued with new weight as adviser and envoy.

His presence seems to embody Xi’s desire to put U.S. relations on a more stable track, particularly when it comes to trade. On Sunday, Han met with U.S. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance and business leaders, including Elon Musk, who has grown close to Trump.

Throughout his career, Han has shown a flair for low-key diplomacy, helping to deal with unrest in Hong Kong and attending numerous international events such as the U.N. General Assembly. Though Han often goes unnoticed due to his ranking in the Communist Party hierarchy, Xi apparently believes he is the man for the job when a subtle hand is needed to establish a positive atmosphere to avoid major pitfalls during Trump’s second term. Beijing appears to have put considerable thought into how receptive Trump, who is known to be an admirer of Xi’s and who places great store in personal relationships, will be toward Han.