BEIJING, Nov. 8: She’s a glamorous singer with big hair, beloved by millions, and a Major General in the People’s Liberation Army to boot. He’s a stiff policymaker, a suit with the bland public persona of most Chinese leaders.
The vice-president, Mr Xi Jinpingm is in line to take the country’s top post in two years, setting up an unusual scenario: in a system where leaders’ families are kept almost invisible, how will the ruling Communist Party handle a First Lady who is arguably more famous than her husband?
So far, the answer appears to be by making her disappear too. References to Mr Xi’s marriage to Ms Peng Liyuan are being scrubbed from the Internet. She has been given a desk job at her military song-and-dance troupe, reducing her public appearances. Interest in the couple was renewed in October after Mr Xi was appointed to a committee overseeing the Chinese military, boosting the likelihood he will lead the Communist Party in 2012.
Political wives have long been viewed suspiciously in China, ever since chairman Mao Zedong’s wife, Ms Jiang Qing, made a grab for power. She was arrested and jailed after his death in 1976.
Having a First Lady who’s well-known in her own right would likely be a point of pride for many Chinese, who know little about their rulers.