Xi's Ambition Is a Gamble and a Challenge to the West

Opaque though China's system of government may be to outsiders, there's wide agreement that the initiatives announced in recent days are no ordinary course correction. President Xi Jinping has brought more levers of power under his control and is moving methodically to erase the distinction between the Communist Party and the state.

It's a bold new direction, as Xi himself declares. His ambitions are far-reaching. What does his project mean for China's prospects, and for the world?