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These are the 12 most powerful people in China you've probably never heard of
From Left to Right: Pony Ma, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Huning, Wang Yang, Han Zheng, Xi Jinping, Colin Huang Zheng, Wang Qishan, Zhao Leji, Zhang Yiming, Zhong Shanshan, Zeng YuqunFrom Left to Right: Pony Ma, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Huning, Wang Yang, Han Zheng, Xi Jinping, Colin Huang Zheng, Wang Qishan, Zhao Leji, Zhang Yiming, Zhong Shanshan, Zeng Yuqun
From Left to Right: Pony Ma, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Huning, Wang Yang, Han Zheng, Xi Jinping, Colin Huang Zheng, Wang Qishan, Zhao Leji, Zhang Yiming, Zhong Shanshan, Zeng YuqunVCG/Getty; Ding Lin/Xinhua/Getty; Yan Yan/Xinhua/Getty; Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty; Rao Aimin/Xinhua/Getty; Ding Haitao/Xinhua/Getty; Ju Peng/Xinhua/Getty; Pang Xinglei/Xinhua/Getty; Ding Haitao/Xinhua/Getty; Rebecca Zisser/Insider

It is not always clear who pulls the strings in Chinese politics. There are 12 influential people who hold the fate of a country of over one billion people.

You may not have heard of Li Keqiang, but you will soon.

When the Chinese premier steps down from power in March 2023, there will be a significant reshuffle in the upper echelons of the Chinese government. In a country where the succession of power has happened slowly and deliberately, Li's retirement could lead to a fundamental shift in roles among China's most powerful government body.

The control and centralization of power in the hands of Xi is often obscured by the elite of China. After removing constitutional term limits on his role, Xi has positioned himself as the most powerful leader since Mao. He may rule for the rest of his life and continue to regulate the country with a tight grip on military reform, cybersecurity, and internet censorship.

The supreme leader of the Chinese Communist Party was the General Secretary of the party and Chair of the Central Military Commission. The descendants of prominent Communist Party officials who represent a powerful government group are known as "princelings" in China.

Being the son of a revolutionary Communist leader may have helped get him to power, but he has maintained his leadership role only by closely monitoring his inner circle and constantly shaking up the status quo.

Chinese bureaucrats who get too comfortable in the bosom of the autocracy have been found to be dangerous. Zhou Yongkang, Bo Xilai, and Sun Zhengcai were all removed from the upper ranks of the Party during the time of Xi.

China's impenetrable black box of power

Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping sits securely at the nexus of power in China. But the men who surround him also wield immense political clout.Xie Huanchi/Xinhua via Getty Images

It's nearly impossible to know what's happening in China's halls of power because of the heavy censorship and control over state-linked media.

Observers looked into the tea leaves to predict China's line of succession, as well as looked into seating charts to see if government officials were close to the top of power.

Beneath the chess game that they play, people don't know what they think. The chess game goes on inside a black box, according to an old professor of East Asian studies.

The Politburo, the highest decision-making body of the Chinese Communist Party, and its top members are the ones who are in control, despite the clout that high-profile Chinese billionaires seem to hold, according to experts.

The Chinese Party-state is the final arbiter of power, and the government campaigns over the last year demonstrate that. Companies or individuals who seem to rise too high and supersede the power and authority of the Party-state will be subjected to some form of punishment.

Jack Ma knows that better than anyone.

Ma was the richest man in China in 2020 at the height of his power, and he had an overflowing bank account.

In October 2020, he criticized China's financial regulatory system, suggesting that Chinese banks were crawling along behind the times, continuing to follow global rules that are part of an old people's club.

Then Ma vanished.

He was thought to have been taken away by the Chinese government to a camp. Others thought he was lying.

In early 2021. China had opened an antitrust investigation intoAlibaba and shut down their plans for an IPO. While it is possible to make a lot of money as a business leader in China, the ultimate power is still held by the CCP.

Soft power comes from being admired as a business executive. Rana Mitter, a professor of history and modern Chinese politics at Oxford, told Insider that the Party can influence them to do what they want.

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Xi's inner circle — the Politburo Standing Committee and his vice president, Wang Qishan — call all the shots

An image of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and the Politburo Standing Committee
An image of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and the Politburo Standing Committee
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) arrives with Premier Li Keqiang (L) and members of the Politburo Standing Committee for a reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the eve of China's National Day on September 30, 2021.Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

The first Politburo Standing Committee was formed in July of 1928. Chairman Mao, who became the Chinese leader in 1949, was one of the top members of the Chinese government. The Politburo is thought to have been selected by outgoing Standing Committee members in consultation with retired top leaders and previous standing committee members.

The Politburo Standing Committee is the only committee that can be chosen by the central committee. It is made up of six people who meet and operate in secret.

Five new members were promoted to the Politburo Standing Committee in 2017: Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, and Han Zheng. There is no clear plan for succession for these men, who are all 65 and older and close to retirement, and for Xi, who has paved the way for him to grant himself a third term.

The premier is flanked by his vice president, who has known him since they were teens. Wang wields a lot of power due to his proximity to Xi, but he is not part of the PSC.

The fall of 2022, when the 20th Party Congress begins, will be the time when it will be decided whether there will be more changes to the political landscape or not.

Political power is consolidated among the following men.

One of China's most potent princes is Wang Qishan, who serves as vice president.

An image of Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan
Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan is one of Xi's key allies, and met the Chinese leader when they were teens.Pang Xinglei/Xinhua via Getty Images

Wang is the right-hand man of the president. Wang was known as a princeling politician by marriage, rising in prominence in the CCP partly because of his marriage to the daughter of a former executive vice-premier.

The son of an engineering professor and the son of a young man were assigned to work in a farming community during the Cultural Revolution. Wang became a ranking member of the Politburo in 2007, helping to lead China's trade talks with the US.

The anti-corruption purge of tens of thousands of Chinese officials began in 2013 and was led by Wang. The anti-corruption campaign was used by Wang to help the Chinese leader purge their rivals.

Wang is a big fan of the show House of Cards.

Victor Shih, an expert in China and Pacific relations and associate professor of political science at the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy, told Insider he thinks there might be a power shift after the fall of 2022.

Many of the technocrats he nurtured in the past will likely retire, as will Wang.

Li Keqiang was once expected to be the successor to former President Hu Jintao but was sidelined in favor of Xi

An image of Chinese premier Li Keqiang
An image of Chinese premier Li Keqiang
Li, 66, is currently the premier of the People's Republic of China — but he's now slated to step down this fall.Ding Lin/Xinhua via Getty Images

The premier of the People's Republic of China is Li, who is also the secretary of the State Council of the People's Republic of China.

Li's humble beginnings in eastern China and his career in the Communist Youth League helped him climb the Party's ranks. He focused on managing China's economy, which led to the country's economic performance rating system being dubbed the "Keqiang Index".

Some speculated that Li was being groomed to succeed Hu Jintao, as he was an ally of the former President. After a lot of hype, Li was removed from the top job. Li was named premier in 2013 but his power was weakened by the decision to expand his control of the economy. Li was blamed for the stock market meltdown in China.

Joseph Fewsmith, professor of international relations and political science and director of the Boston University, said that Li Keqiang has been a weak premier because he relied on the Central Commission for the Comprehensive Deepening of Reform.

I expect Li to have little influence after he retires. The interesting question is who will replace him as premier, and who might be next in line.

Li Zhanshu was relegated to far-flung posts in rural China before staking his claim in the Politburo

An image of Li Zhanshu, politburo standing committee member
An image of Li Zhanshu, politburo standing committee member
Politburo Standing Committee member Li Zhanshu is one of Xi's closest allies in the top echelons of China's power players.Yan Yan/Xinhua via Getty Images

The current chairman of the standing committee of China's National People's Congress is Li, a ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee. He is considered the third most powerful man in China.

In 2003 Li was sent to Heilongjiang, a far- north province, and put in charge of revitalizing China'srust belt.

A real man has no fear of dangerous tasks, Mountains are rich in beauty and peaks are always breathtaking, the mighty autumn wind only bullies the weak, and the falcon spreads its wings and soars toward heaven.

Li was the governor of Heilongjiang and he was responsible for revitalizing the province's irrigation project. This did not elevate Li's status. He was sent to Guizhou in 2010 to improve the province's infrastructure and economy.

It wasn't until 2012 that fortune smiled on Li. He was promoted to the general office of the Chinese Communist Party, a role equivalent to the Chief of the Communist Party.

No messing around with people, no playing games, and no slacking off on the job is what he is known to abide by.

Li is thought to be one of the senior members of Xi's personallique, having served as party secretary one time.

The Boston University professor said that Li Zhanshu and his colleague, Zhao Leji, were already prominent in the Standing Committee.

If the old rules that committee members must retire at 67 are not followed, they might have to step down.

These two have cultivated and promoted large networks in the upper echelons of the party, so they will have considerable influence after they retire.

Wang Yang has a reputation as a 'reformer' and an advocate of the free market

An image of Chinese politician Wang Yang
Wang is also one of the known liberals and "reformers" in the Communist Party.Rao Aimin/ Xinhua via Getty Images

Wang is a member of the Politburo standing committee and the Party secretary of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Wang rose through the local government ranks to become the party committee secretary of Chongqing, after spending his early years in politics in his hometown of Anhui. Wang is one of the known liberals and reformers in the CCP, advocating for free markets and governing with a softer approach.

There is no particularly helpful way to rank the members of the Politburo Standing Committee, but it is worth noting that Wang Yang is being tipped as a premier as he has encouraged freer markets in the past.

Wang criticized the rise ofprinceling power in the early 2010s. He was an unpopular choice for a seat on the Politburo Standing Committee when Hu Jintao was in control. He was elected to the 19th Politburo Standing Committee and began leading the Chinese government's policies in the Uyghur region.

Wang is thought to be a member of the Hu group with Li Zhanshu and Zhao Leji being part of the Xi group. Being part of the Hu group meant being part of aulist coalition, as opposed to being part of the Xi group.

Wang Huning, described as a workaholic and insomniac, is considered the mastermind behind Xi's massive Belt and Road initiative

An image of Chinese politician Wang Huning.
An image of Chinese politician Wang Huning.
Wang is known to be the ideological powerhouse of the Chinese leadership, and the brains behind Xi's philosophy — "Xi Jinping Thought."Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images

The secretary of the central secretariat is Wang. He was an academic at the prestigious Shanghai Fudan University before quitting to pursue politics. Wang is described as a shadowy figure, a workaholic, and an insomniac.

He is credited with being the intellectual and ideological mastermind behind the "China Dream", an aspiration for China to become the world's dominant power. He is the architect of the 14-point policy plan to establish socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The Belt and Road Initiative is an aggressive foreign policy and development strategy that seeks to expand China's influence across Asia and beyond.

Wang is thought to be the most intelligent of the Politburo Standing Committee Members. He was an adviser in the Chinese government for many years.

Three general secretaries have relied on Wang's advice. He will be eligible for another term if the old rules apply.

Zhao Leji has helmed Xi's anti-corruption push and is responsible for arresting thousands of party officials

An image of Chinese politician Zhao Leji
An image of Chinese politician Zhao Leji
Zhao spearheaded Xi's anti-corruption drive to purge officials accused of improper behavior.Ding Haitao/Xinhua via Getty Images

The leader of the anti-corruption campaign is a member of the Standing Committee.

He has been at the helm of the top anti and was heavily involved in the campaign againsttigers and flies. He was able to enroll at the prestigious Peking University ahead of the end of the Cultural Revolution because his family was senior communist party officials.

Like Li Zhanshu, Zhao is a member of the Xi clique. He was the party chief in Shaanxi province. A long-standing friendship between his father and his brother-in-law benefits Zhao, who has close personal links to the family. He has helped reinforce the iron grip on Party governance that the Chinese president has.

Han Zheng has ties to several past PSC members

An image of Chinese politician Han Zheng
An image of Chinese politician Han Zheng
Han Zheng worked as Xi's deputy in Shanghai, and earned a Politburo seat himself when Xi became the CCP's general secretary in 2012.Ding Haitao/Xinhua via Getty Images

The first vice-premier of China is Han Zheng. He was the youngest mayor in the city at 48 years old. He is considered to be one of the top economic shot-callers and a seasoned technocrat.

Five of Han's patrons later served on the Politburo Standing Committee. Han worked as a deputy in Shanghai in 2007, before he became a member of the Politburo Standing Committee. Han was given a Politburo seat when he became the general secretary.

Both professors expect Han to step down this fall, since he has passed the retirement age.

He will retire and it will be an open question whether the Shanghai-line will continue to produce top-level officials.

The outer circle. China's billionaire businessmen have plenty of clout, but they still lack access to Xi

Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba listens as Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at a U.S.-China business roundtable, comprised of U.S. and Chinese CEOs on September 23, 2015, in Seattle, Washington.
Jack Ma used to be one of China's most influential men — and while he still is a billionaire, his clout in China's elite has been significant reduced. With Ma having been made an example of, other Chinese billionaires have no choice but to toe the line.Elaine Thompson-Pool/Getty Images

The rich list in China includes people who have built tech empires and pharmaceutical businesses worth billions. After the fall of Jack Ma, China's billionaires operate by different rules. The idea that the wealthy must share their good fortune with the poor has changed the way that China's richest operate. In order to return more to society, the president promised to adjust the excessive incomes of China's crazy-rich and redistribute their wealth in the spirit of social fairness.

The days of Ma rocking out on stage in flamboyant outfits are over. The ultra-rich are eager to not test the patience of the president and lose all of their wealth.

The richest man in China is called "Lone Wolf".

An image of Nongfu Spring Water billionaire Zhong Shanshan
Nongfu Spring Water and pharmaceutical billionaire Zhong ShanshanVCG/Getty Images

The chairman of Nongfu Spring Water is a man named Zhong. He has an estimated net worth of $66.2 billion, making him the richest man in China. Lone Wolf, also known as Zhong, is a low-key person and rarely makes media appearances.

The idea that bottled water can improve one's health was established by Zhong. He was able to fulfill the need with Wantai's resources by tapping into China's demand for COVID-19 tests.

ByteDance's Zhang Yiming has been accused of being an 'American apologist'

ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming.
ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming.
ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming.Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Bytedance, the tech giant behind TikTok and its Chinese version, was co-founded by billionaire Zhang Yiming. Even after stepping down from his role as CEO of Bytedance in May 2021, Zhang is still the second-richest man in China with a net worth of $44.5 billion.

One of the most influential technology apps in China is the one by Zhang. Critics in China called him an American apologist when rumors of a possible Microsoft acquisition of TikTok broke in 2020. During his time as CEO of Bytedance, he clashed with Donald Trump, who he once said was trying to kill the app. A bipartisan group of state attorneys-general want to investigate TikTok's influence on young people.

Robin Zeng Yuqun's Contemporary Amperex Technology Company supplies lithium-ion batteries to companies including Tesla, Daimler, and BMW

Chinese battery maker CATL CEO Robin Zeng attends a news conference in Berlin, Germany July 9, 2018.
Chinese battery maker CATL CEO Robin Zeng attends a news conference in Berlin, Germany July 9, 2018.
Chinese battery maker CATL CEO Robin Zeng attends a news conference in Berlin, Germany July 9, 2018.REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

The founder of Contemporary Amperex Technology is Zeng. Zeng was a self-made man who began his career in shipbuilding. Zeng is the third richest person in China.

The influence of Zeng goes beyond China, as it supplies components to international car companies like Daimler and BMW. In November of 2021, CATL became China's second-biggest stock by market value, behind the Chinese liquor maker Kweichow Moutai Co., and has dominated the market for electric car batteries.

Tencent's Pony Ma Huateng has a net worth of nearly $50 billion

GettyImages 937997048
Pony Ma is chief executive of TencentVisual China Group via Getty Images

Ma is the founder and CEO of the biggest internet portal in China. The Chinese super-app on which people can message their friends, make payments, and call cabs is owned by the gaming empire of Tencent. Ma is the fourth-richest person in China with a net worth of over $50 billion.

Like other billionaires, Ma has had to promote his company in a positive and patriotic light. Ma said that the company knew its place and would not shirk its duty to serve the country, in line with the Chinese government's crackdown on tech companies. However, this did not stop them from feeling the effects of the crackdown. Ma's net worth plummeted from December 2020 to August 2021.

Colin Huang Zheng founded the e-commerce platform Pinduoduo, a gamified online marketplace

An image of former Pinduoduo boss Colin Huang Zheng
An image of former Pinduoduo boss Colin Huang Zheng
Pinduoduo's Colin Huang ZhengVCG/Getty Images

In 2004, Huang began his career as a software engineer at Google, but in 2007, he left to start his own e- commerce and gaming ventures. Pinduoduo was founded by him in 2015. The sixth-richest person in China is Huang.

Pinduoduo is an online marketplace that allows users to buy items at sale prices by playing games. One of the app's functions allows people to buy things with friends. Pinduoduo makes money by charging sellers a commission to promote their items on the app.

When he quit his roles as CEO and chairman of the e-commerce giant he helped build, he appeared to be shying from the spotlight. In a statement in March 2021, Pinduoduo said that Huang was stepping down from his position as a researcher in the food and life sciences to focus on the future of China's largest agriculture platform.

While no overt moves were made to force the hand of Huang, he appeared to be joining other tech billionaires in a move toward giving hundreds of millions of dollars in donations to charity.

The original article is on Business Insider.

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