Within the next year, China's president and party general secretary, Jiang Zemin will step down and make way for a new, younger-generation political leader. The man currently expected to replace him in office is Hu Jintao, a politician whose political beliefs, ability, and character remain largely unknown and untested. This scenario
provides valuable insights into the workings of the Chinese political system and the mechanisms by which powerful politicians are able to rise to power and legitimate their
rule. …
