 She joined the PLA in 1980 when she was 18 and began as an ordinary soldier, but with her vocal talent later performed during frontline tours to boost troop morale during the Sino-Vietnamese border conflicts.She is the wife of China’s current paramount leader and head of state Xi Jinping, and as such referred to as the "Chinese First Lady" by American and Chinese media.Prior to Xi Jinping becoming leader, his wife was far more famous in China than her husband.