Sputnik: Did the announcement that China's president will no longer be limited to two consecutive terms come as a surprise to you?
Francesco Sisci: It has been discussed for many years and some people at least expected it, around the time of the 19th [Chinese Communist] Party Congress. In fact, we know it was proposed at the Party Congress but it was approved only at the plenum and the plenary session of the parliament.
Sputnik: In your opinion, will this measure bring more radical changes to China?
Francesco Sisci: I think it is the beginning of some radical institutional changes and we already see in the pipeline several important changes [stipulating] that ministries be put together, new laws be passed, and the possibility of having a civil law or a civil code for the first time in China.
So it could be the beginning of massive changes and they could gradually [be introduced] in the next few years.
Sputnik: What do you see will happen in the immediate future and what – in the long-term?
Francesco Sisci: In the next few months, we will have greater power than even this supervisory committee to eradicate and prevent corruption […], which will should clean the atmosphere for new investments.
In the long term, we know that China has launched a very ambitious thirty-year program […] and one main concern is that international worries are growing almost by the day about China.
This is going to be a difficult issue to handle in the next few months already.
Sputnik: China remains one of the world's top economies. Do you agree that Xi Jinping's indefinite rule will make it even more powerful, both economically and politically?
Francesco Sisci: This measure is drawing a lot of attention, concern and worries from all over the world, and China will have to handle these worries, which could put a lot of pressure on China's development and its future plans.
The views and opinions expressed by Francesco Sisci are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.
