The "New deal": Politics and policies of the hu administration

Abstract

The recently held Sixteenth Congress of the Chinese Communist Party and the Tenth National People 's Congress signified a shift in power to the so-called "fourth generation" of Chinese leaders. With the declining trend of "strong-man politics," Chinese politicians have been increasingly concerned about coalition-building, political compromise, and factional negotiation. The norm in Chinese elite politics has transformed from the zerosum games of the past to an emerging pattern of power-sharing among competing factions, regions, and social groups. Prominent leaders are willing to cooperate-not because they are motivated by democratic ideals, but because they recognize their own limitations and thus the need to cut a "new deal" between factions. The new leadership also signifies new policies. President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have outlined a /;eiv vision and a "New Deal" (xinzheng) for China's future. The "New Deal" is an economic and socio-political program that incorporates three interrelated aspects: first, more balanced regional economic development to reduce regional disparity, increase employment, and stimulate the domestic market; second, increased concern for social justice, fairness, and the need to create a social safety net; and third, greater political transparency and institutionalization. © de Sitter Publications.