Cheng Li, the William R. Kenan Professor of Government, was interviewed by Voice of America radio about the future of China's Communist Party. Li said Hu and Wen appear to be positioning the party to deal with the increasing likelihood of challenges to the Communist Party's monopoly on power. "They realize that as a single ruling party, they need to deal with issues of legitimacy; or modify the tensions before it becomes out of control. They know that the Chinese society will continue to change. There's a rise of middle class. There's a relatively more dynamic media," said Li.
Li says the leadership is planning for what may lie ahead, especially as mainlanders monitor events in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy forces have raised challenges to Beijing's monopoly on power.
