Articles by Li Cheng

From exception to rule: Top scientists reshape China’s party leadership

Academicians from China’s top scientific bodies, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), are increasingly entering the CCP’s leadership, reshaping elite governance and driving the country’s rapid, innovation-led technological rise, observe academic Li Cheng and pre-doctoral fellow Zhao Xiuye of the Centre on Contemporary China and the World in Hong Kong.

Li Cheng, Zhao Xiuye

17 Apr 2026

China’s 21st Party Congress set for major leadership overhaul

Analysing with data the likely extent of leadership renewal at the 21st Party Congress in 2027, academic Li Cheng and research assistant Du Lang of the Centre on Contemporary China and the World in Hong Kong find that except for General Secretary Xi Jinping, a massive shakeup is expected, and the longstanding practice of age limits will still play a big factor.

Li Cheng, Du Lang

13 Mar 2026

‘Listeners under the bed’: Obsessing over secrets in Chinese elite politics

Academic Li Cheng and researcher Zhang Chi of the Centre on Contemporary China and the World in Hong Kong observe the workings of the rumour mill about China’s top leadership. In the year, this usually sees two peaks forming around the annual Two Sessions in early March and prior to or during the Beidaihe summer retreat in early August.

Li Cheng, Zhang Chi

06 Aug 2025

Can Hong Kong survive? Insights from ‘Kishore whirlwind’ and the ‘typhoon metaphor’

Academic Li Cheng and researcher Zhang Chi of the Centre on Contemporary China and the World in Hong Kong share their thoughts on Singaporean veteran diplomat Kishore Mahbubani’s recent sharings in Hong Kong. Drawing on his perspectives, they propose several strategies that could benefit Hong Kong.

Li Cheng, Zhang Chi

27 Sep 2024

A new breed of technocratic elites in the Xi era: Countdown to the 20th Party Congress

Li Cheng, director of the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, observes that a new breed of technocratic elites - the "technocrats 2.0" - have rapidly risen to the national leadership in China. What are the major differences between technocrats in the Jiang-Hu eras and the Xi era?

Li Cheng

30 Sep 2022

Prominent PLA elites in 'the cosmos club': Countdown to the 20th Party Congress

Li Cheng, director of the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, notes that well-educated and professionally capable military technocrats are prominently represented in the PLA leadership, and this trend is set to continue after the 20th Party Congress. What contributions will this new corps of military technocrats make as Xi Jinping heads into a likely third term?

Li Cheng

23 Sep 2022

Rocket scientists in China's party leadership: Countdown to the 20th Party Congress

The rapid rise of "the cosmos club" has paralleled China's rising aspiration to take on a prominent role in the international "space club". Li Cheng, director of the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, takes a closer look at the career paths and institutional associations of emerging rocket scientists in China's national and provincial leadership.

Li Cheng

16 Sep 2022

The rapid rise of 'the cosmos club' in the Xi Jinping era: Countdown to the 20th Party Congress

The presence of leaders in the CCP Central Committee with aerospace backgrounds is not new, but this group has never penetrated the national and provincial levels of leadership at the rate and scale that it has during the Xi Jinping era. Two and perhaps even three of them will be strong contenders for the Politburo at the 20th Party Congress, and most of them will play an important role in Xi Jinping's third term and beyond, says Li Cheng, director of the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution.

Li Cheng

09 Sep 2022

Birthplace determining political career in the CCP: Countdown to the 20th Party Congress

Li Cheng, director of the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, notes that a large proportion of top CCP leaders come from eastern and central China, with less emphasis on those from the south and southwest. Much of these trends are closely related to some crucial political issues that China now faces, including the enduring economic gap between coastal and inland regions. Will the same patterns emerge in the 20th Party Congress?

Li Cheng

02 Sep 2022

Ethnic minority leaders for the Central Committee: Countdown to CCP's 20th Party Congress

Li Cheng, director of the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, analyses ethnic minority representation in the CCP leadership past and present and picks out the ones to watch in the lead-up to the 20th Party Congress.

Li Cheng

26 Aug 2022

Female representation in the Chinese leadership: Countdown to CCP's 20th Party Congress

Li Cheng, director of the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, notes that while the Mao-era slogan of "women hold up half the sky" is often repeated, only one woman serves on the current 25-member Politburo (4%), and no woman has ever served on the Politburo Standing Committee, the supreme decision-making body in the country. He asks: what are the prospects for women leaders at the 20th Party Congress? Who are the prominent female candidates for the upper echelons of the CCP leadership?

Li Cheng

19 Aug 2022

Countdown to CCP's 20th Party Congress: Financial technocrats in the post-1970s generation

Li Cheng, director of the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, notes that China's emergence as an economic powerhouse has been accompanied by the rise to prominence of seasoned financial technocrats or self-taught experts. While these "new kids on the block" will most likely enter the new CCP Central Committee this fall for the first time, time will tell how they will respond to the many daunting economic and financial challenges at both the provincial and national levels.

Li Cheng

11 Aug 2022