On the wake of the all-important 18th Party congress, this conference raised three key issues related to the future of China. Firstly, what are the major features of the socio-economic and political dynamics in today’s China? Secondly, how can an effective shift in the paradigm of socio-economic development be achieved and can it make China’s growth more sustainable and inclusive? Thirdly, how can the party-state manage to meet the growing expectations and mounting calls for social justice and accountability and how can it cater for the demands of an ever more complex and antagonistic society? The conference stemed from the book “Towards a New Development Paradigm in Twenty-first Century China – Economy, Society and Politics” published by Routledge in September 2012, edited by Eric Florence and Pierre Defraigne.

(Photo credit: Steve-Jurveston, Flickr)