Twenty-two years ago, the sleepy southern Chinese city of Shenzhen became the test case for China's future. It was designated a "special economic zone," a laboratory for economic reforms that would transform the nation. Today, Shenzhen is again in the forefront of change in China. This time, the city is experimenting with political reforms whose effect will be no less profound.

According to news reports, since confirmed by Shenzhen's mayor, Mr. Yu Youjun, the city will establish a three-tiered administrative structure that will include three divisions: policymaking, execution and supervision. This system introduces a division of power within government, a striking innovation for the traditional communist government structure in which the ruling party was assumed to be all powerful and not subject to external checks or balances.

In fact, the declared objective of the reforms is limiting the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. In the future, the CCP will merely provide strategic direction for government. According to Mr. Yu, the party would be responsible for "drawing up the overall economic development strategy for an area and for setting some other important policies." It would not be allowed to go over the heads of the government and get involved in executive work. That authority would devolve to the regional government and legislature. The reforms could go into effect as early as February or March; if the results are good, they may be expanded to other cities as well.