Xi Jinping’s Daughter Defies Father over Secret Relationship in US

Poonam Sharma 
In what could become one of the most sensational stories to emerge from China’s tightly controlled political inner circle, Xi Mingze — the only daughter of Chinese President Xi Jinping — is once again at the center of an unfolding storm. Not because of an official role or a public appearance, but due to an explosive personal decision that is sending shockwaves through Beijing’s power corridors.

Unconfirmed but persistent reports suggest that Xi Mingze, now 33, is not only back in the United States under intense Chinese Communist Party (CCP) security but also in a controversial romantic relationship with one of her former professors at Harvard University — a man nearly 18 years older than her. Sources allege that the professor, whose identity is rumored to be under strict suppression, works in the prestigious Semiconductor Research Department — a field critical to the US-China technology race.

What adds fuel to the fire is the fact that this relationship, reportedly ongoing for years, has now escalated into plans for marriage — a move that President Xi Jinping is said to vehemently oppose.

A Daughter’s Defiance
According to claims circulating among Chinese dissident circles and US-based commentators, Xi Mingze has refused to break ties with the professor despite direct pressure from top-level CCP officials and even her father himself. The Chinese President allegedly made a  visit to the U.S. under the pretense of diplomatic business earlier this year, only to meet his daughter and persuade her to reconsider. But the meeting, insiders claim, never took place. Xi Mingze refused to meet her father.

This rare act of defiance from the daughter of China’s most powerful leader is nothing short of historic in a nation where filial piety and absolute loyalty to the party are sacrosanct. “This is not just a family dispute,” says a former Chinese diplomat who defected to the West in 2021. “This is a potential fracture inside the illusion of Communist Party perfection.”

A Life Lived in Secrecy
Xi Mingze was born on June 25, 1992, in Fuzhou and grew up largely outside the public eye. She studied psychology at Harvard between 2010 and 2014 under an assumed name, guarded by Chinese security personnel who monitored her surroundings constantly. Her presence in the U.S. was kept so confidential that most Chinese citizens didn’t even know she had ever left the country.

Even after completing her studies, she remained a mystery — no public photos, no official statements, no social media — the perfect invisible citizen. But that invisibility may now be slipping.

According to far-right American commentator Laura Loomer, Xi Mingze is now living in Massachusetts again, this time not as a student, but possibly as a quiet rebel. The timing of her alleged return — amid rising U.S.-China tensions and China’s tightening grip on Hong Kong and Taiwan — couldn’t be more explosive.

Family Crisis Meets Global Diplomacy
This domestic issue is unfolding at a time when China’s global posture is under scrutiny. Just months ago, Taiwan’s President visited Slovakia for a diplomatic meeting — an event met with aggression. Chinese-backed operatives allegedly attempted to sabotage the event, with one security breach believed to be an attempted assassination. The message from Beijing was clear: “There is no safe place for traitors or defectors.”

At the same time, Hong Kong has become increasingly unstable. Pro-democracy activists continue to disappear without a trace. Families say loved ones were taken in daylight by unidentified agents and never seen again. Rights groups have sounded alarm bells, but Beijing remains unmoved.

In such a hostile atmosphere, the idea that the President’s daughter could defy Party norms — or worse, seek asylum through marriage in the United States — sends shivers down the spines of CCP elites.

Opposition’s Fury and Public Intrigue
The Chinese opposition-in-exile has seized on the story. “If the daughter of the General Secretary himself does not want to live in China or follow Party doctrine, what does that tell you?” asked a spokesperson for a banned Chinese democratic movement. They allege that the relationship may have started when Mingze was still a student — and that she deliberately remained in touch with the professor while maintaining a fake identity online.

Some are even calling it China’s “Princess Diana moment” — a modern royal scandal set against an authoritarian backdrop.

What Comes Next?
China has yet to confirm or deny any of the reports. But censorship engines inside the country have gone into overdrive. Social media posts mentioning “Mingze,” “Harvard love,” or “CCP daughter” are being instantly scrubbed. Even encrypted chat apps like WeChat and QQ are reportedly scanning messages for related keywords.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., federal agencies are reportedly monitoring the situation. The professor — if real — could soon become the center of a geopolitical tug-of-war, with Beijing possibly pressuring Washington for deportation or silencing.

Xi Jinping, known for projecting an image of ironclad control and traditional values, may now be facing the one threat he never anticipated — his own daughter choosing her heart over her heritage.

And if she truly goes ahead with the rumored marriage, it could spark not just a family rift, but an international firestorm.