Official Media Reports Indicate a Minor Change in Peng Liyuan's Activities, Which Carries Significance

On May 26, 2023, Xi Jinping (right) and Peng Liyuan prepared to welcome the visiting president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Online screenshot)

[People News] According to the Chinese Communist Party's official media outlet, Xinhua News Agency, on the afternoon of September 19, the award ceremony for the 2025 UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education, along with the celebration of the award's 10th anniversary, took place in Beijing. Xi Jinping's wife, Peng Liyuan, who serves as the UNESCO Special Envoy for Girls' and Women's Education, attended the event and delivered a speech alongside UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. The news report was formal and objective, featuring several photographs that provided Peng Liyuan with the necessary dignity.

Data indicates that this award is funded by the Chinese Communist government and is presented annually to two recipients, each receiving $50,000 to support their work in the field of girls' and women's education. The inaugural award was given in 2016 by the Director-General of UNESCO.

The likely purpose of establishing this award is to enhance Peng Liyuan's standing. This is underscored by the fact that in March 2014, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova conferred upon Peng Liyuan the title of UNESCO Special Envoy for Girls' and Women's Education. The connection between the two is undeniable.

As per official reports, the award is presented every other year in Beijing, while it is held in Paris, France, during alternate years. Peng Liyuan consistently participates when the event is in Beijing, and she delivers congratulatory messages when it takes place in Paris. This year, she attended the event as usual, and there appeared to be no irregularities.

However, a small change can be noted when comparing this year's official media reports to those from previous years: Peng Liyuan's name was placed at the end of the event this year, whereas it had previously been positioned at the forefront.

A report dated September 28, 2023, noted that Peng Liyuan, the wife of Xi Jinping and UNESCO's Special Envoy for the Promotion of Girls' and Women's Education, attended the 2023 UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education award ceremony in Beijing alongside UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, where both delivered speeches. The reporting format for the 2021 and 2017 reports was identical.

Such reporting styles have historically only been used when the award ceremony was held in Beijing; if the event occurred in Paris, the coverage would typically first report on the event itself and then mention Peng Liyuan's speech.

Therefore, at this year's award ceremony in Beijing, why did the Chinese Communist Party's official media place Peng Liyuan at the end of the report? Was this an oversight? Clearly not. The Chinese Communist Party has established protocols for reporting on officials of varying ranks and their spouses, and this alteration is intentional. This minor change reflects a deliberate effort to diminish the emphasis on Peng Liyuan's status.

This is not the first instance of official media downplaying Peng Liyuan's status. The author previously noted that on the afternoon of May 13 this year, an official media report regarding Peng Liyuan's visit to the National Centre for the Performing Arts in China with Rosângela, the wife of Brazilian President Lula, during his state visit to China, already exhibited unusual reporting.

During the meeting, Peng Liyuan remarked that both China and Brazil are cultural giants, and in recent years, cultural exchanges between the two nations have flourished, leading to a deepening mutual understanding and friendship among their peoples. She expressed hope that both sides would continue this positive trend and foster closer ties between their citizens. Rosângela conveyed her "sincere gratitude for Peng Liyuan's warm and thoughtful arrangements" and expressed her commitment to actively promote cultural exchanges between the two countries, further contributing to the strengthening of Brazil-China friendship.

However, there are notable differences when compared to reports from the official media of the Communist Party of China regarding similar events in 2023.

The year 2023 marked the period following the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, during which Xi Jinping successfully secured his third term and reached the pinnacle of power within the party. On April 14, 2023, Peng Liyuan met with Rosângela in Beijing, and the images released indicated that their meeting took place in a very formal setting, rather than during a casual visit to a tourist attraction.

At that time, Peng Liyuan stated, "I hope that President Lula and his wife have a pleasant visit to China and achieve fruitful outcomes, and I wish for the friendship between China and Brazil to endure over time." Rosângela expressed her "gratitude to President Xi Jinping and Ms Peng Liyuan for their warm reception of President Lula and herself," and she expressed her desire to deepen her understanding of China and contribute to promoting friendly cooperation between Brazil and China.

The two women, who do not hold formal official positions, met independently but both referenced their husbands, who were not present. This goes beyond mere diplomatic niceties; such language is typically reserved for discussions involving their husbands. Could this be an attempt to emphasise Peng Liyuan's status?

Similar diplomatic language was also observed in April 2023, when Peng Liyuan met with Sylvia, the wife accompanying the President of Gabon during his visit to Beijing, and again in May when she met with Denise, the wife accompanying the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Rumours have circulated that Peng Liyuan serves as a behind-the-scenes advisor to Xi, assisting him in consolidating power, with some personnel decisions reflecting her influence. Reports indicated that Peng Liyuan was a member of the Central Military Commission's Cadre Evaluation Committee established after the military reforms in 2016, aimed at ensuring that the selected generals are loyal to the top leadership. As Xi's power peaked in 2023, Peng Liyuan's status also rose significantly.

However, no one can escape the harsh reality of shared glory and shared downfall. Following the news of Xi's illness during the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee in July last year, signs of his diminishing military authority and declining status within the party have become increasingly apparent. For example, his multiple meetings with foreign leaders, including Putin, at the non-Yingtai of Zhongnanhai are quite revealing.

Xi's declining status has directly impacted Peng Liyuan's position. Currently, she has been removed from the Cadre Evaluation Committee of the Military Commission, and members of her 'Shandong Gang,' such as Li Qun, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, have been dismissed, all of which signal Peng's true standing.

Furthermore, when Peng Liyuan met again with the wife of the President of Brazil, she returned to her original role, with state media now placing her name at the end of events, further corroborating her diminished status and indicating that Xi's position has significantly weakened. Are Xi and Peng, caught in this situation, merely playing a role, or is there another underlying reason?

(People News first published) △