China’s 19th National Congress Reading List

At the end of August, the Chinese Communist Party announced that the 19th National Congress will begin on October 18th, 2017. Held once every five years, the meeting is very important in deciding the top leadership for China and highest political, economic and social priorities for the next five years. This year’s congress appears to be even more important because it will be seen as issuing a verdict for Xi Jinping’s leadership in the past five years and as a barometer of what he is likely to do in the next five years. When the first such congress was held, there were 12 delegates representing about 50 members of the Party in the country. When this congress begins on October, there will be 2297 delegates representing close to 90 million Party members nationwide.

There is extensive Chinese media coverage of this 19th Party Congress three weeks before it opens in Beijing but these coverage is formal and designed to reflect the achievements of Xi Jinping. Western media outlets tend not to pay much attention to CCP meeting because they appear to be ceremonial and there is little public interest in them. When there is coverage, it focuses on the speculated power rivalry and how Xi will dictate the proceedings of the congress.

We have assembled a short list of media reports on the upcoming congress for our readers. Read here

American Media:

The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/31/world/asia/china-xi-jinping-communist.html

The Diplomat: http://thediplomat.com/2017/09/5-things-to-watch-out-for-at-the-chinese-communist-party-congress/

NPR: http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/08/31/547544659/china-has-set-oct-18-for-its-communist-party-congress-heres-what-to-expect

ChinaFile:http://www.chinafile.com/conversation/chinas-communist-party-about-meet-heres-what-you-should-know

Chinese Media:

SCMP: http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2108979/date-set-chinas-communist-party-congress

Xinhua: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-09/29/c_136649244.htm

China Daily: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2017-09/29/content_32652069.htm