Apr 19, 2017

Though the Chinese leadership has labored over the past three decades to instill rules and norms into its elite selection process, concerns have persisted over the effectiveness and durability of these nascent institutional mechanisms. What institutional limitations and political barriers stand in the way? The selection of ethnic minority leaders provides a good case study that sheds valuable light on these questions.

Apr 05, 2017

The best way for these two leaders to break the proverbial ice—and nurture a sincerely cooperative mood—could be to share personal experiences related to U.S.-China relations, including their family stories. Even from an outside observer’s perspective, some simple anecdotes could help illustrate these two leaders’ long-standing goodwill towards a healthy and constructive relationship between their respective nations.

Mar 30, 2017

At a time when male-dominance in political leadership is being challenged in many parts of the world, the PRC public is likely to take greater notice of the gender imbalance within China’s political elite. Although the PRC party-state system has successfully incorporated a broader range of backgrounds and viewpoints over time, China lags behind global trends in elevating female leaders. Unless Xi and the CCP leadership prioritize vigorous institutional reforms to address this issue now, the insufficient representation of women leaders will remain a notable deficiency of the PRC party-state system for the years to come.

Feb 21, 2017

Can business leaders become central players in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership? The recent rise of provincial chiefs (governors and provincial party secretaries) who have experience as top commanders of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) suggests that these individuals will play a more pronounced role in Chinese politics in the years ahead.

Jan 26, 2017

China’s “revolving door” has largely operated in one direction, with retired senior party officials moving into think tanks but the reverse rarely occurring. However, Chinese president Xi Jinping’s recent remarks and actions suggest that a full-fledged “revolving door” will become a mainstay of Chinese think tanks in the near future.

Aug 30, 2016

From the time President Obama assumed office in 2009 to the present, positive U.S.-China relations have been vital to the two countries and to the world at large. Forty-four years after establishing diplomatic relations, the world’s two greatest economic powers have forged unprecedentedly close ties. Unsurprisingly, the current relationship reflects varying degrees of cooperation as well as competition.

Oct 07, 2015

Although the Obama-Xi meeting left plenty to be desired on disputed issues such as cybersecurity and the South China Sea, it was a significant and pleasant surprise that Xi softened some of the most pessimistic sentiments and disarmed suspicions in such a short time, highlighting respect for the U.S. and its people, in appealing words to the American public.

Dec 04, 2014

The “New Type of Great Power Relations” enables China to establish a code of conduct to protect its core interests, but the U.S. has not completely adopted it out of protection of its own geopolitical allies. For greater endorsement China should advance the interests of smaller nations in the Asia-Pacific, and the U.S. should move beyond its Cold War, realist mentality.

Mar 03, 2014

As President Xi implements his reform agenda, Cheng Li evaluates the fantastic opportunities and potentially enormous risks that lie ahead for the world’s second-largest economy.

Nov 04, 2013

The pessimistic outlook on China’s Third Plenum fails to capture the leadership’s momentum, sense of urgency, and collective understanding of the need to embark on big, bold and broad reforms to gain public support before it’s too late, write Cheng Li and Ryan McElveen.