[The Editors' Verdict] China's First Lady "Peng Liyuan"

[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Cho Young-shin] In China, the First Lady is referred to as 'Jeil Buin (第一夫人, Di Yi Fu Ren),' which means 'First Lady.'

▲Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mrs. Peng Liyuan (Photo by AP)

Pang Liyuan (Peng Liyuan), the wife of Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, President of the State, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, is China's First Lady. Born in 1962, Mrs. Pang became a star in the Chinese music scene after participating and winning in a singing contest hosted by China Central (CC) TV in 1982. She joined the Communist Party and rose to become a national first-class singer affiliated with the song and dance troupe under the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army. She married Xi Jinping in 1986 when he was an unknown politician. Even after marriage, Mrs. Pang continued her singing career. Until Xi Jinping became the President in 2012, Mrs. Pang was more famous than him.

Observers often compare Mrs. Pang with Jiang Qing, the wife of Mao Zedong, the founding father of China. Jiang was also from the entertainment industry. She worked as an actress in Shanghai before meeting Chairman Mao and marrying him in 1939. Both Jiang and Pang came from modest family backgrounds. Jiang became the First Lady in 1949 when the Chinese Communist Party won the Chinese Civil War and Mao Zedong rose to become the supreme leader of the People's Republic of China.

The evaluations of Jiang Qing and Pang Liyuan differ. Jiang wielded power on behalf of her husband Mao. She was notorious enough to be named among the Gang of Four (Zhang Chunqiao, Wang Hongwen, Yao Wenyuan) who led the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. Jiang was arrested as a counter-revolutionary less than a month after Mao's death and was sentenced to death. She ended her life by suicide in 1991. The tragic outcome of Jiang's political involvement influenced the activities of subsequent First Ladies. Zhuo Lin, wife of Deng Xiaoping; Wang Yeping, wife of Jiang Zemin; and Liu Yongqing, wife of Hu Jintao, all refrained from political activities and focused solely on supporting their husbands. As a result, many Chinese people barely remember their names.

On February 4th, Mrs. Pang appeared alongside President Xi at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics. She also accompanied him at the 25th anniversary event of Hong Kong's return (June 30 to July 1). She only appears at major international or significant national events. In March, she participated in a virtual meeting for World Tuberculosis Day hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO), showcasing her role on the international stage. Mrs. Pang serves as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Prevention and as UNESCO Special Envoy for Women’s and Children’s Education.

The 1.4 billion Chinese regard Mrs. Pang as a First Lady who would be a source of pride anywhere in the world. They believe her outstanding natural beauty and excellent international manners are on par with any First Lady globally.

On the 16th of next month, the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (the 20th Party Congress) will be held. This event will extend Xi Jinping’s term by five years and mark his rise to the ranks of Mao. With Xi’s third term, Mrs. Pang’s role as First Lady will also be extended by five years. While negative words such as dictatorship and long-term rule are associated with Xi’s third term, no negative remarks have been made about Mrs. Pang. It is said that she helps soften Xi’s negative image. There is great interest within China about what role Mrs. Pang will play for her husband as she becomes First Lady for the third time and what path she will take on the international stage.