Name
Jia Qinglin 贾庆林
Current status
Retired
Born
1940
Relevance to Tibet
Former Politburo Standing Committee and Chair of the CPPCC. Nominally oversaw United Front work and Chaired the Tibet Work Leading Group, although Hu Jintao made the decisions.
Pronunciation: Jeeyah Ching-lin soundbite
Born: 1940, Botou, Hebei Province.
Education: Hebei University of Technology.
Career: Long career in engineering/heavy industry, coincident with local Party positions, rising to number four in the Politburo Standing Committee and Chair of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Committee (CPPCC).
Prospects: Stepped down from Politburo Standing Committee in November 2012 and as Chair of CPPCC in March 2013.
Relevance to Tibet: Nominally oversaw United Front work and Chaired the Tibet Work Leading Group, although it seems Hu Jintao made the decisions.
Member of the 17th Politburo Standing Committee of the CPC (ranked number four) until November 2012.
Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Committee (CPPCC) until March 2013, a political advisory body that consists of delegates from a range of political parties and organizations, as well as independent members (in practice it only ‘rubberstamps’ policy and the Chair’s position is largely ceremonial).
He frequently visited Tibet for major events, e.g the opening of Lhasa Railway, the 40th Anniversary founding of TAR, 50th anniversary of 17 Point Agreement, and was also present at Tibet-related events in Beijing, e.g Serf Emancipation Day Gala, meeting the Chinese-chosen 11th Panchen Lama.
He is a protégé of Jiang Zemin (key factor) becoming mayor of Beijing in late 90s replacing the scandalous incumbent. There is serious speculation that he was placed there by Jiang to act as his surrogate after he stepped down. They have been friends for years; Jiang protected him from repercussions of a corruption scandal surrounding Jia’s wife.
In 2006, Jia was one of the targets of an anti-corruption investigation organized by Hu Jintao apparently in a real effort to eliminate corruption but also to get rid of Jiang’s supporters. Rumors of serious corruption had followed Jia for years.
There was speculation that Hu might be reluctant to admit corruption in the Standing Committee but planned to use the evidence to force Jia to retire in 2007. (New York Times) – Jia did not retire.
He was sued in 2004 by Spanish Falun Gong, accused of having persecuted 100,000 Falun Gong practitioners in China.
In 2008 his granddaughter Jasmin Li, was a debutante in Paris.