Hu Jintao

**Hu Jintao** (born 21 December 1942) is a Chinese politician who was the paramount leader of China and the 8th General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 2002 to 2012. Hu Jintao also served as the 6th President of China from 2003 to 2013 and the 5th and 12th Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 2004 to 2012.

Hu was born on 21 December 1942 in Taizhou, Jiangsu. Hu left office of General Secretary on 15 November 2012 and the office was taken by Xi Jinping.

Hu was educated as a hydraulic engineer from Tsinghua University in 1965. According to official biographies, he has a photographic memory. Politically, he is moderate and careful. He spent most of his previous career in Tibet and the poorer provinces, and was therefore unknown to Western analysts until he unexpectedly became the General Secretary (paramount leader). Even as a general secretary, he was quite private - and so has never given an interview.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Hu Jintao
- **native name lang**: zh-cn
- **image**: Hu Jintao Cannes2011.jpg
- **caption**: Hu in November 2011
- **office**: 8th General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party
- **term start**: 15 November 2002
- **term end**: 15 November 2012
- **predecessor**: Jiang Zemin
- **successor**: Xi Jinping
- **office2**: 6th President of China
- **premier2**: Wen Jiabao
- **term start2**: 15 March 2003
- **term end2**: 14 March 2013
- **predecessor2**: Jiang Zemin
- **successor2**: Xi Jinping
- **office3**: 5th and 12th Chairman of the Central Military Commission (China), Chairman of the Central Military Commission
- **predecessor3**: Jiang Zemin
- **successor3**: Xi Jinping
- **office4**: 5th Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party, First-ranked Secretary of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party
- **1namedata4**: Jiang Zemin
- **term start4**: 19 October 1992
- **term end4**: 15 November 2002
- **predecessor4**: Qiao Shi
- **successor4**: Zeng Qinghong
- **order5**: 6th Vice President of China
- **president5**: Jiang Zemin
- **term start5**: 15 March 1998
- **term end5**: 15 March 2003
- **predecessor5**: Rong Yiren
- **successor5**: Zeng Qinghong
- **office6**: 8th Communist Party Secretary of Tibet
- **1blankname6**: General Secretary
- **term start6**: 1 December 1988
- **term end6**: 1 December 1992
- **predecessor6**: Wu Jinghua
- **successor6**: Chen Kuiyuan
- **office7**: Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary, Communist Party Secretary of Guizhou
- **1blankname7**: General Secretary
- **term start7**: 8 July 1985
- **term end7**: 1 December 1988
- **predecessor7**: Zhu Houze
- **successor7**: Liu Zhengwei
- **office8**: 10th Communist Youth League of China#List of First Secretaries, First Secretary of the Communist Youth League of China
- **1blankname8**: General Secretary
- **1namedata8**: Hu Yaobang
- **term start8**: 14 December 1984
- **term end8**: 8 July 1985
- **predecessor8**: Wang Zhaoguo
- **successor9**: Song Defu (politician), Song Defu
- **birth place**: Taizhou, Jiangsu, Taizhou, Jiangsu, Republic of China (1912–1949), China
- **party**: Communist Party of China
- **spouse**: Liu Yongqing
- **profession**: Hydraulic engineering, Hydraulic engineer
- **alma mater**: Tsinghua University (Bachelor of Science, BS)
- **signature**: Hu Jintao autograph.svg


## Infobox (chinese)

- **title**: Hu Jintao
- **p**: Hú Jǐntāo
- **poj**: Hô Kím-tô
- **j**: wu4 gam2 tou4