WORLD LEADERS. Then Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (right) shakes the hand of former US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta (left) in a photo dated September 19, 2012, to signify a “closer friendship” between Beijing and Washington. Photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo/Wikimedia Commons.

AFTER CHINA unveiled its new set of Politburo Standing Committee members, led by new Chinese President Xi Jinping, the world has been speculating about the East Asian power’s direction for the next five to ten years.

In November 2012, Xi was made General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC). He also became chairman of the Central Military Commission, which is in charge of the country’s major security and military operations. Meanwhile, Li Keqiang became first ranked vice premier and deputy secretary of the CPC.

Last March 2013 marked the official government transition of the People’s Republic of China. In a confirmation vote by the 12th National People’s Congress, Xi officially replaced Hu Jintao as president. Li succeeded former Premier Wen Jiabao.

The five other new members of the Politburo are Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli.

The man who must change China?

Xi has especially been on the hot seat among China’s new leaders, being the particular subject of media talks. Many see him as having a certain appeal. In contrast to the sternness that Hu Jintao impressed upon many, Xi is often perceived as amiable and a “man of smiles.”

This has been considered as the primary difference that sets the new leadership apart from the previous one, and is thought to indicate that Xi has the potential to change the way China is run. For instance, in an article entitled “The man who must change China” published last October 27, 2012, The Economist wrote, “China’s future will be determined by the answer to this question: does Mr Xi have the courage and vision to see that assuring his country’s prosperity and stability in the future requires him to break with the past?”

However, Benito Lim, who teaches with the Chinese Studies Program, warned about the danger in relying only on a leader’s personality. “Of course personality [and] how a person handles himself is very important when he deals with, let’s say, foreign leaders. And the early impression of foreign leaders [of Xi Jinping] is [that he is] amiable and likeable. But this will not change China’s five-year plan. He will try his best to implement Chinese policy for the Chinese national interest, [formulated by] the leaders of China, which is the Communist Party.”

Five-year plan

Lim explained that leaders in the Politburo do not simply make the laws the way they want to. The previous set of leaders prepares a five-year plan to address the problems of China and its provinces. Seen as the outgoing leaders’ legacy before leaving their seats, the plan draws from the contributions of the heads of the different localities.

The incoming set of leaders, on the other hand, sees to it that they implement the plan as much as possible. However, the five-year plan is not permanent. It can be altered as necessary in response to new challenges not anticipated during the time the plan was laid out.

When asked about the leadership transition in China, Wing Fan, a Chinese exchange student from Guangdong University of Business Studies, shared that she does not expect any radical changes with the new leaders. For her, much of the fanfare is “all talk.”

“It is a very good thing. But for me, [right] now, it just [feels] like paying lip-service,” Wing said.

Philippine–Chinese relations

The leadership transition has also led to questions on Chinese foreign policy. As for the Philippines, Teresita Ang-See, the foremost advocate of Chinese Filipino cultural integration in Philippine society and a faculty member of the Chinese Studies Program, said that it takes both countries to exercise diplomacy in order to fix territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.

“It takes both sides because improving relations cannot be demanded. It is something that has to be freely given and it is something that both countries have to work on. It doesn’t matter who the leaders are,” Ang-See said.

Given how the contents of the five-year plan were made behind close doors, it is a difficult task to predict what is in store for China and its relations with other countries.

But for Ang-See, the disputes between China and the Philippines should be left for the Department of Foreign Affairs to deal with, instead of leaving it to fiery public rhetoric.