US Congress Representative Vicky Hartzler recently revealed that Xi Mingze, the only daughter of Chinese President Xi Jinping, is currently residing in the United States. Hartzler made the disclosure while introducing the “Protecting Higher Education from the Chinese Communist Party Act,” a bill that seeks to limit Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence in American academia.
Hartzler’s revelation has sparked intrigue, as very little has been known about Xi Mingze, the private and elusive daughter of the world’s second most powerful leader. The news that she is living in the US is a significant moment in the ongoing tensions between the two global superpowers, the United States and China.
In a YouTube broadcast on Sunday, a Chinese current affairs commentator living in the US confirmed Hartzler’s statement, adding that Xi Mingze’s presence in America has been largely under wraps. While it has long been known that she studied in the US, her life has remained a subject of great curiosity and little public knowledge. Born on June 27, 1992, Xi Mingze is the daughter of Xi Jinping and his second wife, the famous Chinese folk singer Peng Liyuan.
Xi Mingze’s educational background includes studying French at Hangzhou Foreign Languages School before she travelled to the United States in 2010 to attend Harvard University. To ensure her privacy and security, she attended the prestigious university under a pseudonym. However, her presence at Harvard remained relatively unknown until 2012 when her identity was confirmed by the media. Despite the interest in her life, she has kept a low profile, with few details of her activities in the public sphere.
In a report, the commentator also referenced claims made in 2019, suggesting that Xi Mingze had returned to the US after spending five years in China. It is speculated that she currently resides in the Cambridge area and is engaged in research, although this remains unverified. The lack of clarity about her professional and academic endeavours only adds to the air of mystery surrounding her life in the US.
This disclosure by Hartzler forms part of a broader legislative push aimed at curbing Chinese influence in American institutions. The “Protecting Higher Education from the Chinese Communist Party Act,” if passed, would prevent individuals connected to the Chinese National Congress or the CCP from receiving student or research visas to study in the United States. The bill has garnered attention due to its direct challenge to China’s expanding presence in US universities and research facilities.
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The bill’s introduction comes at a time of heightened tensions between China and the US, particularly in areas related to technology, trade, and academia. The US has already imposed various restrictions on Chinese nationals, particularly those with ties to the Chinese government, to prevent potential espionage and intellectual property theft. Hartzler’s bill would further strengthen these measures, with a particular focus on the potential risks posed by CCP members and their families.
Meanwhile, the revelation about Xi Mingze has reignited interest in her privacy and the extent to which her identity has been kept hidden by both the Chinese and US governments. In 2015, a Chinese man named Niu Tengyu was sentenced to 14 years in prison after leaking Xi Mingze’s personal information, including her studies at Harvard. The case highlighted the level of sensitivity surrounding her privacy and the lengths to which the Chinese government goes to protect its most prominent family members.
The ongoing mystery surrounding Xi Mingze and her life in the United States is likely to continue as political and diplomatic tensions between the US and China evolve. For now, her status as a student and researcher in the US remains largely under the radar, despite Hartzler’s disclosure, and it remains to be seen how this new revelation might affect future US-China relations.
