After wrapping up its 18th Congress, China announced the names of the seven chosen Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) members. Wang Qishan, the former vice premier who was expected to head the economic aspect of China, has instead been appointed as the secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The PSC also includes inexperienced officials such as newly appointed Executive Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, notorious for having increased the Chinese debt while serving as the secretary of Tianjin. While these changes are cautiously observed by surrounding Asian countries because of the growing risk associated with China’s constant rise in the area, are they of importance to U.S. interest in Asia? If so, would the U.S. benefit from the newly appointed leaders or would American trade relations suffer?

Margaret Pearson is currently a professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she is a specialist in Chinese domestic political economy and Chinese foreign economic policy. She is the author of many books, including Joint Ventures in the People's Republic of China and China's New Business Elite: The Political Results of Economic Reform as well as articles in World Politics, The China Journal and Public Administration Review. She received her Ph.D. in Political Science from Yale University.

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