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Beijing:
China, one of the world's most secretive nations and an economic
power house, witnessed a once-in-a-decade leadership transition in
2012 that saw the baton being passed on to a new team of leaders
who will govern a staggering 1.3 billion people.
Despite a double-digit annual growth rate for about three decades,
the Chinese economy is now strained by a shortage of energy and
resources, a wealth gap, inequitable income distribution,
corruption and environmental woes.
The country's present leaders, under President Hu Jintao, have
been in power since 2002 and are referred to as the fourth
generation to rule since the Communist Party of China (CPC) came
to power in 1949.
In November, Xi Jinping was elected general secretary of the CPC
Central Committee, paving his way to become the country's next
president after incumbent Hu Jintao steps down in March 2013.
Li Keqiang will become premier. Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu
Yunshan, Wang Qishan, and Zhang Gaoli were elected members of the
Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central
Committee.
Known as a "straight talker", frugal, hardworking and
down-to-earth, 59-year-old Xi is the "princeling" son of Mao
Zedong-era revolutionary hero Xi Zhongxun, one of the CPC's
founding fathers.
Once in Mexico, he hit out at concern over China's growing might.
Comments like vowing to "smash" any attempts to destabilise Tibet
have contributed to his image as a tough speaker.
Analysts believe the world will see more of the tough talk after
Xi assumes the top job.
"With rising nationalistic sentiments in China, Xi Jinping will
have to become more assertive," Bo Zhiyue, a senior research
fellow at the East Asian Institute of the National University of
Singapore, told BBC.
Seen as having a zero-tolerance attitude towards corrupt
officials, Xi has been a trouble-shooter.
Xi is also famous for his celebrity wife, singer Peng Liyuan, who
also holds the rank of major general in the People's Liberation
Army.
A well-known Chinese folk singer and actress, Peng regularly
appears on Chinese state TV's New Year Gala, the most watched TV
programme of the year. She was also appointed World Health
Organisation Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in
2011.
China's transfer of powers have always stoked tension and
uncertainty, according to a BBC commentary. But now that China is
the world's second-largest economy and a superpower in the making,
the new leadership's views really matter.
Some analysts believe China's economic development model, which
has delivered breakneck growth but at great environmental and
social cost, is now unsustainable. Now the question is whether a
one-party state can deliver the necessary reforms.
"I think it's very difficult," says Mao Yushi, an economist.
"People don't have the right to check the government's abuses of
power. Even information is not transparent; we know so little
about the inner leadership circle."
Odd Arne Westad, professor with the Department of International
History at the London School of Economics and Political Science,
better known as the author of "Restless Empire: China and the
World Since 1750", said China's rise can continue "for a very,
very long time".
China's peaceful rise to a super power status will depend on other
countries, Westad told state-run news agency Xinhua.
"It will depend on the US accepting a much bigger role for China
in East Asia. It will depend on Japan being willing to work with
China and not against it."
He has suggested other countries "to be as cooperative as possible
with regard to China" and "not to attempt to contain China within
the region".
During Hu's decade in power, China's economy averaged 10 percent
annual growth. But the economy has become too reliant on
government-led investment and state-owned companies. Global
organisations say the government must now let the private sector
flourish.
The gap between rich and poor is glaring, and China is now home to
both millionaires and 150 million people living on $1 a day.
Although the government has extended healthcare and pensions to
millions, it faces huge future challenges because China's
population is ageing rapidly.
While Xi was waiting in the wings for five years, he carefully
avoided giving any hint of his priorities, and remained strictly
neutral to avoid endangering his status as the heir among the
party's competing factions.
Xi had created quite a sensation before his election as the new
leader - he disappeared mysteriously for two weeks in September.
Then the vice president, he went unseen and unheard by the
official Chinese media.
"It was weird, and a little bit scary, and we still don't really
know what happened," the Washington Post said.
A China-based journalist said "the true story" was that Xi was hit
in the back with a chair hurled during a contentious meeting of
"the red second generation".
"The meeting turned violent. They went at it hammer and sickle. Xi
Jinping tried to calm them down. He put himself physically in the
crossfire and unwittingly into the path of a chair as it was
thrown across the room. It hit him in the back, injuring him.
Hence the absence, and the silence, and the rumours," the
journalist said.
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