China elite politics

While the powers of the premier have subsided, Li Qiang’s importance may lie in his ability to be a moderating force. 

With no space for a successor to Xi Jinping, China’s leadership is getting older as generational change slows down.

Xi’s eventual successor will face the problem of major revisions to the party constitution – meaning a complicated transition period.

A multi-year effort has brought strongman rule back into the Communist Party liturgy.

Revisiting the resilience of the age limit norm and exploring two counterfactuals.

The Politburo Standing Committee line-up brought a number of surprises, but Xi still seems to have operated within a broad institutional framework.

With all seven members of the new Politburo Standing Committee loyal to Xi, "There is no counterweight or checks and balances in the system at all."

If political turnover norms are abandoned, Xi could surround himself with compliant officials, raising the risk of policy missteps.

Insights from Victor C. Shih.

Five things to pay attention to as China's big leadership transition gets underway.

At its upcoming congress, the party will triple down on a leader whose policies are proving increasingly self-defeating.