Edward Kus is a Research Associate in the Lowy Institute's East Asia Program.
- Can't remember whether the Central Committee chooses the Politburo Standing Committee or vice versa? The 18th Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party begins on 8 November. Here are some basics about China's party-military-state mechanics.
- A genuinely authoritative guide to China's political system was written in May by Susan V Lawrence. And here's what Cheng Li of Brookings says about the governance challenges facing the new leadership.
- Calls for political reform in China are now coming from the upper echelons of the Communist Party School. This could be a signal that amendment of the Communist Party's constitution at the upcoming Party Congress is going ahead. Interestingly, 'Mao Zedong thought' has not been highlighted in recent Communist Party policy statements, hinting at reform.
- Controversy has erupted inside and outside China regarding numerous planned 'mega dams' in the China's southwest. Experts say 48% of the dams are slated for construction lie in 'zones of high seismic hazard'.
- A report from the Washington-based Center for International Policy suggests illicit financial flows from China between 2001 and 2011 totaled over US$3.79 trillion. A process called 'round-tripping', whereby money is siphoned out of China and then returned as 'foreign direct investment', is making it possible for many of China's richest and most powerful people to accumulate wealth by avoiding regulations.
- Chinese people want to know what's in store for the China-US relationship under the next US administration. For a window into what the Chinese media is printing and what the Chinese public is reading, check out Danwei.