ABSTRACT
China finds itself in a very different position at the end of the twentieth century to that at the start of the century. It is politically stable and powerful, and able to deal with other nations of the world in an independent and self-confident way. This self-confidence is based on the history of the success of the Chinese Communist Party in pursuing, gaining and maintaining its power, and on China's economic success in recent years. Based on a political and economic infrastructure that was put in place during the first 40 years of the People's Republic, China is today able to build on this legacy to further its interests. This chapter discusses the major issues before the Chinese leadership today and speculates on how these issues might affect China in the next decade or so. The modernization and further improvement of the educational system and supplementing it with life-long training seem essential for successful economic development.
