Chinese President Xi Jinping turns 67

Chinese President Xi Jinping celebrated his 67th birthday on Monday. President of the People's Republic of China, Jinping was born in Fuping City, Shaanxi Province, on June 15, 1953.

His father was Zi Zhongxun, who was deputy prime minister of China and an early partner of Mao Zedong.

Jinping studied chemical engineering at Beijing's Tsinghua University and holds a doctorate in law. Xi married the prominent Chinese folk singer Peng Liyuan in 1987. Xi and Peng have a daughter named Xi Mingze who graduated in spring 2015 from Harvard University. Xi 's family has a home in Jade Spring Hill, a garden and residential area run by the Central Military Commission in north-western Beijing.

The president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, congratulated Xi through a tweet. "Receive dear friend, our congratulations and the testimony of our highest consideration and appreciation," wrote the head of state of the Antillean country in the social network.

Xi Jinping has served as Secretary-General of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) since 2012, and as President of China since 2013.

In 2016, Xi officially received the CPC's title of 'leadership core'. He was also a member of the Standing Committee of the 17th, 18th, 19th CPC Politburo.

Xi Jinping has implemented numerous steps to impose party control after he took office. His anti-corruption movement contributed to the downfall of several sitting and former leaders of the Communist Party including members of the Standing Committee of the Politburo.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, birthday celebrations would be different this year. According to Johns Hopkins Covid-19 tracker, China, where the deadly virus had emerged, has reported 84,229 cases so far.

Last year, Xi Jinping had celebrated his birthday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.