Når Politbyrået og dets rådgivende underavdelinger består av høyt utdannede teknokrater, med god tyngde på nye næringer, får Vesten litt å slite med.
Arguably the most far-reaching change lies in the transformation of Chinese technocratic leaders.
A new cohort of technocratic elites, who can be referred to as “technocrats 2.0,” has rapidly risen to the national leadership.
“Technocrats 2.0” often have expertise in information technology, nuclear technology, aerospace technology, shipbuilding, 5G, robotics, material science, life science, environmental science, and artificial intelligence.
They have also spent many years –– and in most cases more than two decades –– serving as executives in China’s flagship SOEs and competing in the global market. It is expected that this new group of technocrats will constitute a significant proportion of the 20th Central Committee formed this fall.
As many as seven or eight members of this group will likely enter the new Politburo and will form an important elite group during Xi’s third term. To better forecast China’s policy trajectory on the economic and technological fronts in the next decade or so, students of the Chinese leadership must pay great attention to some defining characteristics of this rising elite cohort.
China’s highly-trained, well-educated technicians and professionals have helped bolster the country’s economy in the 21st Century. It’s no surprise that a number of them are well represented in the Party Congress, and should see their numbers grow this fall when promotions are doled out.
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