China's Leaders: The New Generation

China’s political process has always been mysterious, and the background of its political leaders has been largely secret. Cheng Li’s book is an expert analysis of who these men really are and how the rising stars in Beijing are likely to govern in the coming years. I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand Chinese politics. — Seth Faison, former Shanghai Bureau Chief for the New York Times

Carefully researched and documented. . . . Cheng Li’s book goes a long way to providing information and in some cases correcting common misperceptions about these leaders. Its strong methodology and detailed data will appeal to academics, but it is also useful for China watchers in business and government. ― The China Business Review

A welcome addition to the literaure on Chinese politics and its new generation of leaders. . . . A compelling account. ― ChinaSource

With a clear goal to pursue a conscious intellectual inquiry of the characteristics of new Chinese leaders from an objective prospective, Li analyzes the merits and weaknesses, life experiences, and political attitudes of this group of people who will soon assume top leadership positions in China. The author skillfully approaches some major indicators that not only distinguish the new leaders from previous generations of Communist Party leaders but also highlight the fundamental traits capturing all top personnel. This informative and solid book will be useful for the general public, undergraduate and graduate students, professionals, and policy makers. ― CHOICE

A first-rate piece of scholarship, impressive in its scope. Li has effectively combined quantitative and qualitative research in a way that provides a clear sense of the generational change currently underway in the Chinese leadership. Scholars, students, policymakers, and general readers will all find this a fascinating and important work. — Joseph Fewsmith, Boston University

Cheng Li’s book, the first full-length English study of the fourth generation, goes a long way toward resolving paradoxes. Li traces in fascinating detail the networks of education, marriage, and party and professional advancement that tie this group together. China’s Leaders is more than just a gossip rag on the Chinese political elite. ― International Journal

Li’s book has made a serious contribution in offering such data. This volume will certainly be a useful guide to for the examination of the new Chinese leadership to emerge in the sixteenth Party Congress in 2002, and the quality of Li’s work has set the standard for future research in similar studies. ― The Journal of Politics

The best source on the shape of the rising generation of the Chinese elite….An indispensable catalogue of elite characteristics and descriptive cases of the career paths of leading political figures….Every political scientist working on the Chinese elite will want to have a well-thumbed copy on their bookshelves. — Jeremy Paltiel, Carleton University ― The China Journal

A gem….One can get a real sense of China’s third-and fourth-generation leaders by reading this wonderful study by Cheng Li…. His skill as an interviewer is apparent in the wealth of information provided to the reader…..This is a study that will enlighten the seasoned sinologist and yet has use in an undergraduate course on Chinese politics as well. ― China Review International