The 10th National Conference on Paired Assistance to Xinjiang was held in Hotan, Xinjiang, from July 7 to 9. Hu Haifeng was seen at the venue. (Video screenshot)
[People News] Hu Haifeng, the son of former Chinese Communist Party leader Hu Jintao and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, attended a press conference today (October 10) alongside Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan and other colleagues. Reports from Dajiyuan indicate that Hu Haifeng received significant coverage from state media, suggesting that he overshadowed his superior, which may signal a strong political message related to the power struggle surrounding the Fourth Plenary Session.
According to a report from the Chinese Communist Party's Xinhua News Agency, on October 10, the State Council Information Office held a press conference focused on the '14th Five-Year Plan,' attended by Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan, Deputy Minister Li Changgong, Deputy Minister Hu Haifeng, and Deputy Minister Liu Zhenguo.
Hu Haifeng, representing the Ministry of Civil Affairs, announced that the ministry has rectified 75,000 'zombie' social organisations and has taken action against over 8,000 illegal social organisations.
The Epoch Times reported that previously, on September 12, three months after the announcement of the investigation into Gao Yichen, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of State Security, the 'Taihe Think Tank,' which had close ties to him, was disbanded by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The Taihe Think Tank is closely linked to the 'Belt and Road Initiative' promoted by Xi Jinping, and Gao Yichen was a high-ranking official in the Ministry of State Security, the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and the '610 Office' when he established this organisation.
Media outlets such as 'Daily Economic News,' 'Shangguan News,' and Beijing Daily's 'Chang'an Street Observer' have prominently featured Deputy Minister Hu Haifeng in their headlines.
In a report by the 'Daily Economic News', both Hu Haifeng and Lu Zhiyuan addressed issues concerning social organisations. However, the report prioritised Hu Haifeng's remarks over those of Lu Zhiyuan, with both reports containing similar content. Notably, when 'Chang'an Street Chief' stated that 'over 8,000 illegal social organisations have been rectified', it exclusively featured Hu Haifeng's comments, omitting any reference to Lu Zhiyuan.
Lu Zhiyuan, born in 1964, is a member of the 20th Central Committee.
Current affairs commentator Li Linyi remarked that during this news event, Hu Haifeng received significantly more media attention. His visibility clearly overshadowed that of his superior, Lu Zhiyuan, which is quite unusual. This is attributed to his status as the son of Hu Jintao.
Analysts suggest that, particularly ahead of the Fourth Plenary Session, the internal power struggle within the Communist Party of China (CPC) is nuanced. Rumours regarding Xi Jinping's diminishing power and his anticipated formal retirement at the Fourth Plenary Session are widespread. The abrupt promotion of Hu Haifeng by the CPC's official media appears to be a deliberate attempt to foster an atmosphere of 'Old Hu is back', while simultaneously lending a degree of credibility to these rumours, implying they are 'not merely rumours'!
During the closing ceremony of the 20th CPC National Congress in October 2022, former party leader Hu Jintao was publicly escorted out of the venue by subordinates of current party leader Xi Jinping, turning the internal power struggle within the CPC into a subject of international discourse. Additionally, with the retirements of Li Keqiang and Wang Yang, and Hu Chunhua's removal from the Politburo, the faction led by Hu Jintao, known as the 'Tuanpai', has been accused of being 'annihilated' by Xi Jinping.
The Epoch Times reported that the 2025 Lujiazui Forum commenced in Shanghai on June 18, featuring key officials including Chen Jining (陳吉寧), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee; Wang Jiang (王江), Deputy Director of the Central Financial Office responsible for daily operations; Wu Qing (吳清), Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission; Gong Zheng (龔正), Mayor of Shanghai; and Hu Haifeng (胡海峰), Vice Minister of Civil Affairs, who collectively unveiled the "China Capital Market Society." Among these officials, only Chen Jining holds the rank of vice state-level, while Wang Jiang, Wu Qing, and Gong Zheng are at the ministerial level, and Hu Haifeng is at the vice-ministerial level.
From July 7 to 9, 2025, the CPC's 10th "National Work Conference on Supporting Xinjiang" was held in Hotan, Xinjiang, where Hu Haifeng participated in the discussions.
On September 23, the Turkish Embassy in China shared a message on its official accounts on mainland Weibo, the overseas X platform, and Facebook, announcing that Ambassador Selçuk Ünal paid a courtesy visit to Vice Minister of Civil Affairs Hu Haifeng. The post noted that "both sides exchanged views on developing cooperation between the two countries." It included photos of Ambassador Ünal visiting Hu Haifeng's office and presenting gifts to him.
Public records indicate that Ünal submitted a copy of his credentials to the CPC's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 1 of this year, officially assuming his position.
Commentator Tang Jingyuan noted earlier in his self-media program: "The recent visit by Nalu to Hu Haifeng is quite unusual, as Hu Haifeng is merely the fourth-ranking deputy minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, overseeing social organisation management, social assistance, child welfare, elderly services, and so on, with no ties to the diplomatic sector whatsoever." He suggests that this visit is motivated by Hu Haifeng's status as the son of Hu Jintao, stating, "To put it bluntly, this is directed at Hu Jintao."
△
News magazine bootstrap themes!
I like this themes, fast loading and look profesional
Thank you Carlos!
You're welcome!
Please support me with give positive rating!
Yes Sure!