How the Cultural Revolution shaped China's leaders today

<div>All eyes are on the Communist leadership this year, as the months count down to autumn’s National Party Congress, where Xi Jinping may be crowned for a third term. But how much do we really know about the Party’s leadership? In particular, can we better understand them through looking at the experiences that they've had?<br> <br> Take Xi Jinping, who is what is known as a 'princeling' – his father was the Communist revolutionary Xi Zhongxun, one of the Party's early cadres. How did that upbringing impact him, and his faith in the Chinese Communist Party?<br> <br> Also consider the Cultural Revolution – the sixtysomethings on the Politburo Standing Committee would have been teenagers during that decade of turmoil. How did it form who they are as leaders today?</div> <br> <div>Joining me on the podcast is Professor Kerry Brown from Kings College London, whose latest book is <em>Xi: A Study in Power</em>, so very knowledgeable on the President himself; as well as Professor Steve Tsang, a historian at SOAS.</div>