Starting in June, Chinese media have been promoting a new campaign to study the "three represents," Jiang Zemin's ideological formulation that was enshrined in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) constitution at the 16th Party Congress in fall 2002. Following Hu Jintao's efforts to emphasize a more populist approach to governance, including his "people's war" against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in April and May, the new campaign has raised new questions about the relationship between Hu and Jiang. Review of the evidence reveals that this campaign has long been in the works and thus should not—in and of itself—be taken as evidence of a reassertion of Jiang's political clout, but there are nevertheless significant differences between the two leaders and their approaches to governance and ideology. Although the evidence suggests that Hu Jintao has been trying to inject new themes and approaches to governance, he remains willing to acknowledge the role of Jiang as elder statesman and refrains from challenging him directly. Thus, political differences are more likely to be played out in personnel decisions and policy priorities over the coming months than in the sort of political competition that is likely to lead to instability.

The Chinese government was in the midst of a major reorganization when the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic exploded upon Beijing. That reorganization will go forward, but the suspension of much government activity because of SARS highlights the fact that this ongoing reorganization is still far from complete. The long gestation reflects the powerful competing interests that are at stake. This article examines the creation of one new agency, the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC), and discusses the qualifications and personality of its head, Liu Mingkang. It uses the case of Liu to illustrate the emergence of a new kind of economic technocrat in China.

As President Clinton put it, the reform of 1996 marked “the end of welfare as we know it.” What has taken its place? Hoover public affairs fellow Jeffrey Jones on coming to grips with a new kind of welfare.