After the very public spectacle of the world’s greatest electoral show in the US comes the very private transition of power in China. The Communist party congress, which begins in Beijing today, may be window dressing for a succession that has already been decided behind closed doors. But in anointing a new generation, it will also set the tone and direction for the world’s newest superpower over the next decade.

Xi Jinping, a member of the party’s politburo since 2007, is widely expected to succeed Hu Jintao as president. He remains an enigma, having risen through the ranks without giving any discernible hint of the direction in which he might take the party.

What is known are the considerable challenges Mr Xi will face when he takes office. And they cannot be met if he chooses to maintain the economic, social and political status quo.