A Decisive Moment for China Draws Nigh

Nearly 70 years after its founding, China has once again found itself at a historic crux. As Beijing's rivalry with the United States grows increasingly hostile, its future relations with Hong Kong hang in balance -- all while the country grapples with an economic slowdown that risks thwarting its past 30 years of unrestrained expansion. Suffice it to say, China's political leaders had their plates full when they gathered in Beidaihe this year for their annual meeting, which reportedly just wrapped up.  But while China has faced similar internal threats over the decades, its leaders are unlikely to find answers in past precedent this time around. And that's because the economic and political challenges the country faces are happening in a vastly different domestic context. Any speculation or leaks come from this year's summit won't provide all the answers to the complex challenges Beijing's leaders now face both at home and abroad....