China needs a strong leader like President Xi Jinping. Only an assertive head of state could reset the ineffective bureaucracy and put the country on a path toward meaningful reform. But like many strongmen, Mr. Xi appears to be reaching too far. Since the 1980s, the Communist Party has followed an unwritten rule to ensure an orderly leadership transition and prevent a Mao-style autocracy. The head of the party serves a 10-year term and, halfway into his tenure, he nominates a successor with the help of party elders. In Mr. Xi’s case, he would need to name an heir at the party convention next year. Read more
