This episode previews the Nineteenth Party Congress happening this year. The Party Congress will bring new members into both the Standing Committee and the Politburo. The 19th Party Congress will also mark the start of President Xi Jinping’s second five-year term as CCP General Secretary. Our guest, Professor Fewsmith, touches on a broad range of topics related to Chinese domestic politics including the Xi’s anti-corruption campaign, economic reforms, and the flight of Guo Wengui. This episode discusses political processes within the CCP at the elite level and covers potential agendas and priorities for the Party Congress.
Joseph Fewsmith is Professor of International Relations and Political Science at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies. He is also the author or editor of eight books, including, most recently, The Logic and Limits of Political Reform in China (2012).