At a time when China's economy and society are under considerable strain and the country is embroiled in increasingly tense border disputes with its neighbors, the relatively peaceful once-in-a-decade political transition in Beijing has helped deflect attention from the underlying turbulence in the Chinese system.

The fact is that China is at a turning point, and the next decade under the new leadership of Xi Jinping is likely to decisively shape the country's trajectory.

Power transition without bloodshed and chaos is rare in Chinese history. From the first Shang Dynasty, political change in Chinese history has usually occurred through violent means, with force also being employed to retain power.