Changes in China's Political Landscape: The 17th Party Congress and Beyond

The Brookings Institution's John L. Thornton China Center will host a two day conference to address Chinese political developments in the context of the 17th Party Congress.

April 12, 2007, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
April 13, 2007, 9:00 am - 12:45 pm
The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC

On April 12th and 13th, the Brookings Institution's John L. Thornton China Center will host a conference to address Chinese political developments in the context of the 17th Party Congress. This landmark political event will select the next generation of Chinese leaders and define the policy vision that will guide China in the years to come.

The participants will seek to provide answers to such questions as "What transformations are likely to occur in China's political system in the next 10-15 years?" and "Is it possible that Chinese democracy will emerge from incremental political change?"

The conference will address a wide range of topics, including the changing dynamics between leaders and institutions; new developments in the interaction between social forces and political elites; new tensions in governance and one-party rule; rising demand for the rule of law; shifting patterns of civil-military relations; and changes in center-local relations. 

Sidney Rittenberg, author of The Man Who Stayed Behind, and a former interpreter for Mao Zedong with more than sixty years of experience observing Chinese politics firsthand, will give a keynote address on the first day of the conference.

April 12, 2007

9:00 - 9:15 a.m.         
Opening Remarks
Carlos PASCUAL, Vice-President and Director of Foreign Policy Studies,
The Brookings Institution                  
                                              
9:15 - 11:00 a.m.       
Panel I: What Should We Expect from the 17th Party Congress?

Cheng LI, The Brookings Institution
Alice L. MILLER, Stanford University
Barry NAUGHTON, University of California at San Diego                                           

Moderator: Chu Shulong, The Brookings Institution and Tsinghua University

11:15 a.m.               
Panel II: Agents of Change in Chinese Politics and Policy

1:00 p.m.
Richard BAUM, University of California at Los Angeles
Jacques DELISLE, University of Pennsylvania
Erica S. DOWNS, The Brookings Institution

Moderator: Xiao Geng, The Brookings-Tsinghua Center

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Lunch
 
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.        
Keynote Address: Sidney RITTENBERG, Author, The Man Who Stayed Behind
 
Moderator:John L. THORNTON, Chairman of the Board, The Brookings Institution

3:15 - 5:00 p.m.         
Panel III: Chinese Discourse About Democracy

Andrew NATHAN, Columbia University
David SHAMBAUGH, The George Washington University  
YU Keping, Translation Bureau of CCP Central Committee

Moderator: Jeffrey A. BADER, The Brookings Institution

April 13, 2007

9:00 - 10:45 a.m.       
Panel IV: Forces For and Against Democracy in China
Joseph FEWSMITH, Boston University
Minxin PEI, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Dorothy SOLINGER, University of California at Irvine
                           
Moderator: Wing Thye WOO, The Brookings Institution

11:00 a.m.
Panel V: Changes in China's Party-State and Military: Similar to Taiwan?

12:45 p.m.                 
CHU Yun-han, National Taiwan University
Jing HUANG, The Brookings Institution
James MULVENON, Center for Intelligence Research and Analysis

Moderator: Jeffrey A. BADER, The Brookings Institution

RSVP: Please call the Brookings Office of Communications, 202/797-6105 or register online at http://onlinepressroom.net/brookings/