Read a summary of this teleconference here.

A Situation Briefing teleconference on China's 19th Communist Party Congress. Please note: dial-in information will be sent via email the morning of the teleconference.

China's Party Congress, a weeklong meeting held every five years, sets the tone and direction of China for the next five. This year's Party Congress, which ends on October 24, formally grants President Xi Jinping a second term as the country's leader as well as welcomes a new class of senior party leaders. In his opening remarks, Xi laid out a vision of a reinvigorated Communist Party with total control of China’s economy, internet, culture, religion, and morals.

Why does this meeting matter to those outside China? What shifts in Chinese domestic or foreign policy has President Xi signaled? What have we learned about the state of China's party politics?

Listen to the full conversation below:

Featuring:

Dr. Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chancellor's Professor of History, University of California, Irvine

Dr. Wasserstrom is a specialist in modern Chinese history with a strong interest in connecting China's past to its present and placing both into global perspective. Read more.

Moderator:

Mr. Alexandre Moore, Events Officer, Pacific Council on International Policy

Alex serves as the Events Officer at the Pacific Council. Read more.