Hu, Deng ‘princelings’ climb China’s political ladder

China’s ruling Communist Party has two new “princelings”, the son of former President Hu Jintao and a grandson of reformist leader Deng Xiaoping, who have been given new key assignments in provinces as the party grooms next generation leaders.

Hu Haifeng, 44, son of Hu, was appointed vice-mayor of the city of Jiaxing in eastern Zhejiang province last week.

Hu was the President of the country for ten years from 2002 to 2012, handed over the baton to present leader Xi Jinping in 2013 and opted for a quiet retirement.

Mr Xi was also a “princeling”, a term used to describe the descendants of Chinese leaders in the Communist Party of China.

Mr Xi’s father Xi Zhongxun was the former vice-premier who was persecuted by Mao Zedong for his moderate views.

Hu Jintao’s son Hu Haifeng’s change in role came two years after he was named the secretary of the city’s legal and political affairs committee, Hong Kong based “South China Morning Post quoted local media reports as saying.

Another top leader’s descendant, Deng Zhuodi, 31, grandson of late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping — China’s President from 1978 until his retirement in 1992, became one of the deputy party secretaries of Pingguo county in southern Guangxi province.

Before this, he was a deputy head of the county government.

Mr Deng was also identified as party secretary of Xinan township — a position he assumed in June 2014. His new role is seen as a promotion because a party job carries more weight and decision-making power than a government position.