Hu Jintao

Hu Jintao is a Chinese politician who served as the President of the People's Republic of China from 2003 to 2013. He was born in 1948 in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. Hu studied at the Tsinghua University and later earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from the same university. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1974 and rose through the ranks to become a member of the Politburo in 1992. Hu served as the Vice President of China from 1993 to 2003 and became the President in 2003. During his presidency, Hu focused on economic development and social stability. He also played a key role in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Hu stepped down as president in 2013 and was succeeded by Xi Jinping. He is currently a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.