The most important political event in China, the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, kicked off yesterday in Beijing.

During the weeklong session, almost 2,338 people representing 90 million party members across the country will select the top leadership for the next five years. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping is slated to start his second five-year-term, while speculations mount on whether he will take a third term. At the meeting’s first day, Xi gave a three-and-a-half-hour speech to outline the Party’s priorities for the next five years. He said, “…it will be an era that sees China moving closer to center stage and making greater contributions to mankind.”

To discuss the reshuffling of leadership and Xi’s political vision, we’re joined by Cheng Li, director of the John L. Thornton China Center, and a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. He is also a director of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.