Born in Shanghai, Wang traces his heritage to Ye County, Shandong province. Wang's name, "Huning", literally means "Shanghai and Nanjing”. Wang was recommended to enter Shanghai Normal University in 1974 to study the French language. He was enrolled in the Department of International Politics at Fudan University in 1977 to pursue his postgraduate degree, while conducting research for the Shanghai Academy of Social Science. His mentors were Chen Qiren and Wang Bangzuo. After graduation, Wang stayed at Fudan University, and by 1985 was named professor of law at age 30, becoming the youngest law professor in the history of the university. In 1988, Wang was a visiting scholar in the United States for six months, spending the first three months at The University of Iowa, three weeks at Cal Berkeley, and traveled to many other universities. This experience led to his 1991 book America Against America. Beginning in the 1980s, Wang wrote columns and essays for numerous party-sanctioned publications and once appeared on the cover of news magazine Banyuetan. His work attracted attention from political leaders in Shanghai. In 1993, Wang led the Fudan student debate team to participate in a Chinese-language international college debate competition held in Singapore. The team won the championship between 1988 and 1993, greatly enhancing Wang's reputation.
Political career
From 1995, Wang was referred to work for the party's central authorities on recommendation from top Shanghai politicians Zeng Qinghong and Wu Bangguo, both of whom maintained close relationships with then-party General Secretary Jiang Zemin. Wang initially headed the political research team at the Central Policy Research Office, and was promoted in April 1998 to deputy director of the Office. He was promoted to director of the Office in 2002. Wang was regarded as one of major brain-powers of Jiang Zemin and participated in the drafting of the "Three Represents" ideology, regarded as the main theoretical contribution of Jiang to the party's ideological lexicon. In November 2007, Wang was admitted to the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China. He began accompanying General Secretary Hu Jintao on foreign trips, and played a leading role in drafting the "Scientific Outlook on Development" ideology of Hu Jintao. He was elected to the 18th Politburo of the Communist Party of China in November 2012, becoming the first director of the Policy Research Office to hold a seat on the elite ruling council. Following the ascension of Xi Jinping to the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China in November 2012, Wang nurtured a close relationship with Xi, again emerging as one of the central members of Xi's entourage on international trips and seen to be one of Xi's closest advisors. He has helped in the construction of the "Chinese Dream" and "Xi Jinping Thought" ideologies. Wang was a member of 16th, 17th and 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and is currently a member of the 19th. Wang authored several books, including Logic of Politics - the Principal of Marxism Politics, America against America, General Introduction to New Politics, Analysis of Modern Western Politics, Analysis of Comparative Politics and Debate Contest in Lion City. Wang was chosen to be a member of the 19th Politburo Standing Committee, China's top decision-making body, at the 1st Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on 25 October 2017.
Personal life
Family
Wang's first wife, Zhou Qi, 3 years older, ended in divorce after he went to Zhongnanhai in 1996. They had no children. He later married a nurse in Zhongnanhai. They have one child.
Public perceptions
As Xi's top foreign policy aide, he has been described as "China's Kissinger" by South Korean newspaper The Hankyoreh. He was also compared to Henry Kissinger by The Guardian.
