BusinessWeek Interviews Li on China's Future Leaders

In "Positioning for Power at China's Communist Congress" published by BusinessWeek on Oct. 9, Cheng Li, the William R. Kenan Professor of Government, is quoted extensively concerning his views on the future leadership of China. "No one in the party has the clout to anoint a successor to Chinese leader Hu Jintao," says Li.
 
In discussing the possible four front-runners who could be appointed to the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) in October with a view to taking over the reins in 2012, Li noted that they all possess leadership experience, intellectual caliber and - unlike the existing Politburo members - youth. He commented on each of their perceived strengths and weaknesses that might affect their chances for leadership. 

"Politics in China is not a zero-sum game," said Li. "The two sides have their differences but they are both trying to restore people's confidence in the party." He feels that the current informal power sharing situation within the Chinese Communist Party offers hope for a future in which power may be diffused more widely throughout the party. Neither side can win outright so they counterbalance one another, working out their differences through negotiation and compromise. 

"The party has to change a great deal but it is steeped in the one party system. We shouldn't assume any such changes signal a change in ideology," Li concludes. 

In a Newsweek article titled "China's New Guard" published Oct. 15, Li again shares his observation and predictions on future leaders in China. "The rules will change," says Li. "Expect the unexpected ... By the time the Sixth Generation comes to the top of the leadership, the Communist Party might be gone."