From the Intelligence, I'm Jason Palmer. This is episode two of a new eight-part podcast

series from the Economist. The show is called The Prince and it's about the leader of China,

Xi Jinping. If you haven't heard the previous episode or if you can't wait for the next

one, you can hear the whole series now by searching for The Prince on your podcast app.

In 1993, a local TV station profiled a rising Chinese official at his home. A baby-faced

Xi Jinping sits smiling with his infant daughter, Min Zer, on his knee. Seeing his wife

hosting the TV crew for a home-cooked meal. He says, when I lived in the countryside, I cooked

for myself. But it was all pretty basic stuff. Then he looks down. Little Min Zer has wet

herself. And it's gone all over him. He seems happy at home. But for a man with such great

things ahead, Xi Jinping didn't stand out much at this time. He wasn't even the most

interesting person in his house. He was married to Pong Mi Yuan, a singer famous across

China for her patriotic hits. Much more famous than Xi. Pong performed for the troops. She

made regular appearances on state TV's annual New Year's special, The Biggest Show in China.

This is her in 1991. The picture of Glamour bedazzled in bright yellow. This was actually

Xi's second marriage. His first wife, Cur Ling Ling, was a diplomat's daughter. They

split after three years.

Xi was introduced to Pong Mi Yuan, his current wife, by a mutual friend. They married in

a small ceremony in 1987. It was a humble affair, according to the official account. First,

a simple meal at a hotel. Then, when they invited a couple of party colleagues around to

the house to celebrate, they had to wash out toothbrush cups, so all four could have tea.

Make no mistake, though. This was a major union. And Xi Jinping may have been a princeling.

But Pong was the star. In the late 90s, Pong appeared on a Hong Kong talk show. The host

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