Liu Yongqing
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Liu Yongqing (刘永清) is the wife of Hu Jintao, the current president of the People’s Republic of China. Liu Yongqing has, as is the Chinese custom, retained her maiden name. Traditionally, Liu Yonqing’s role would be primarily domestic but this is fast changing as Chinese leaders travel abroad more. Liu often accompanies her husband on his official trips to foreign countries and has made personal appearances at charities and cultural institutions all over the world.
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[edit] Life
Liu Yonqing was born in 1940, two years before her husband to be. She and her husband met as classmates at one of China’s most prestigious academic centers, Tsinghua University, in Beijing. Later she went on to work for Beijing city planning committee.
As with her husband Madame Liu’s life and background is somewhat of an enigma to western analyzers. She received virtually no political attention before Hu Jintao’s Presidency. Hu has preferred to stay out of the public eye and has tended to avoid publicity during his political career.
[edit] Role
The wives of high ranking political leaders are encouraged to say little or nothing to the public as one wrong word can ruin their husband’s career in this highly competitive and complicated arena of political power plays. As a result the First Lady plays more the gracious host than an individual political figure that the western world is more familiar with.
[edit] Children
Hu Jintao and Liu Yongqing have two grown children - a son and a daughter. Both were educated at the Tsinghua University. The Wall Street Journal reported several years ago that their daughter studied in the U.S. and lived there for a time. This report was never confirmed though.
[edit] Trivia
Yazhou Zhoukan also known as Asia Weekly reported that Madame Liu is a fan of computers. [1]
