With the coming of the 19th National Congress, audiences in China and around the world reflect on the changes for China since the last party Congress, with a focus on Xi Jinping’s leadership, domestic economic goals and improvements, and China’s role on the international stage.

One of the key events leading up to the 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) Congress took place in Beijing this week as China's political elites--including cabi

One of the anomalies of the modern world is that one of its most important political events – leadership changes around the five yearly Communist Party congresses in China – hardly registers in the international mainstream media. However, we should be following what happens as closely, perhaps even more closely, as we do Washington, Paris or London politics.

The sudden and unceremonious dismissal of Chongqing’s party chief Sun Zhengcai, who was replaced by former Guizhou province party chief Chen Mine’er, is the latest illustration of the precarious political security of high-ranking members of the Chinese party-state.

There are many uncertainties about China’s upcoming 19th Party Congress. It is too early and risky to make any bold predictions (even the date of the Congress is not confirmed), but there is still interesting speculation about the potential rule changes in age and term limits, the impacts of Guo Wengui’s allegations against Wang Qishan, and the spectre of Xi Jinping serving a third term.

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.

In an exclusive interview, Prof. Jiang Haishan explains the structure of the 18th Party Congress and the procedure of the election process. He also touches upon the challenges facing the new leadership under Xi Jinping.

Following the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, a new guiding ideology has been adopted to ensure China continues its peaceful development while driving the world economy.

After the 18th Party Congress, China is moving toward reforms that are tailored differently in different parts of the nation.

  In a blog piece I posted in August 2012 on the trial of Bo Xilai’s wife Gu Kailai, I noted that “there is something seriously wrong with the Party but chan