1. Bo Xilai (Party Secretary, Chongqing).  Bo has been in politics all his life, having been the son of longtime Party man Bo Yibo, a prominent Communist Party official in the 1980’s and 90’s.  Rather than ride on the coattails of his father’s success, however, Bo chose to be transferred to Nowhereland:  the industrial port of Dalian.  Appointed mayor of the city in 1992, he oversaw the “greening” of the industrial town into a cleaner, more environmentally-friendly one.  His present term as Secretary of Chongqing  has seen him fighting against the organized crime in the city, even going so far as to arrest politicians in his own administration and police officers found to be in cahoots with the Chinese mafia.

1. Hu Jintao (President).  General Secretary since 2002, President since 2003, Chairman of the Military Commission since 2004, there seems to be no end to the titles Jintao continues to add to his name.  He is considered a top-level “fourth-generation” leader in Chinese politics, having come into his own with the “Harmonious Society” concept developed in tandem with Premier Wen Jiabao.  The “Society” involves working to equalize the poverty gap between rich coastal cities in China and the poorer interior, as well as challenging the “GDP at all costs” mentality.  It remains to be seen whether the old officials from predecessor Jiang Zemin will allow their reforms to pass.

1. Wang Yang (Secretary, Guangdong Communist Party Committee).  As top dog in one of China’s most properous provinces, Yang might have been tempted to sit back and take it easy.  The Financial Crisis of 2008 meant that his province had to take a good hard look at things, however, and reexamine their export-to-consumption ratio.  So far, though, he seems to be meeting the challenge head-on, with reforms intended to create a more sustainable, greener industrial economic base.

1. Wen Jiabao (Premier).  One of China’s popular leaders both at home and abroad, Jiabao is another member of the fourth generation of up-and-coming leadership.  Once regarded as just another Party stooge by outsiders, Jiabao’s response to the global financial crisis in 2008 and the Sichuan earthquake the same year made observers sit up and take notice.  As Premier he has worked closely with Jintao in attempting to enact reforms aimed at helping migrant workers and farmers, traditionally the more marginalized elements of Chinese society. 

1. Xi Jinping (Vice-President).  Being the next guy in line to be in charge of the world’s second-largest economy would be enough all by itself, but Jinping has earned himself a reputation as a leader in his own right of the fifth-generation of Chinese leadership.  He oversaw the enormous preparations for the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and has visited a number of countries in Latin America as part of promoting Chinese interests in places like Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Venezuela.

David Turner writes on ways to obtain a Masters in Public Administration.