Xi Jinping's law degree questioned as claims he was 'helped' A LEAKED document from China has raised embarrassing questions over the validity of a law degree awarded to its leader, Xi Jinping, in 2002 at a crucial moment in his rise to rule over the country of 1.3bn people. Analysis of Xi's unpublished dissertation for the degree, a copy of which was handed to The Sunday Times in Hong Kong last week, lends weight to claims among Chinese academics that he used others to help with his thesis.