As the only female member of the previous Politburo, the state councilor in charge of the health, education and sports portfolios stands out. Despite Chairman Mao’s maxim that women hold up half the sky, women are a rare commodity in the upper ranks of the Party. Liu, aged 66, a rare princeling who is allied both with Hu and Jiang, might have shattered the Standing Committee’s glass ceiling. But as before, the men who rule China will remain just that.
Meet the Men Who Will Rule China
The new Politburo Standing Committee was unveiled at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on Thursday. A look at the men who made the cut, and those who were passed over.