Outline

Overview

This unit will examine the internal governance of the People's Republic of China and aspects of its external relations. It begins by tracing the emergence of the PRC's political system after 1949, focussing on key features of Maoism and the rationale of Post Mao reforms. It then considers the remarkable economic, demographic and social changes that have occurred in recent years and how the Communist party-state has responded to a range of crucial challenges. Finally the unit will analyse the impact of these issues on the Chinese Communist Party's legitimacy.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Government and International Relations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Minglu Chen, minglu.chen@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Contribution	Participation Participation in discussions and other classroom activities.	10%	Ongoing	N/A	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Literature Review Choose one of the seminar topics, conduct research to identify key scholarly literature, and write a literature review.	25%	Week 07 Due date: 17 Apr 2026 at 23:59	1500 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Research essay Complete a research essay that builds on your literature review and incorporates the feedback you have received.	40%	Week 13 Due date: 29 May 2026 at 23:59	3000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Conversation	Discussion Leadership Presentation Choose one of the seminar topics, prepare a presentation, and lead class discussion on the topic.	15%	Weekly	1000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Contribution	Weekly Reading Questions Raise two questions about the required readings each week.	10%	Weekly	10 x 50 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Participation: All students are expected to actively participate in classroom activities.
Discussion Leadership Presentation: All students will choose one week to serve as a discussion leader. As the discussion leader of the week, you need to prepare a presentation and one or more questions for discussion. The primary objective is to engage your classmates in lively and informed discussion of the required readings for that week.
Weekly Reading Questions: Every week, students should submit 2 questions about the required readings for that week.
Literature Review: Students will provide a literature review based on any of the seminar topics of the unit, which examines a minimum of 10 academic sources (book, peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters) relevant to the topic, including the required readings.
Research Essay: Students will build upon the literature review as a foundation to complete a research essay. In the research essay, students need to develop a clear research question, formulate a central argument addressing this question, and draw upon the reviewed literature plus additional sources if needed and use empirical data to support the argument.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	China's Revolutions: 1911-1949	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	China Under Mao	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	China's Economic Reform: post 1978	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	The China Model Revisited	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Central-Local Relations	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Participation, Protest and Activism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Women in Politics	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Addressing Inequality	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Ethnic Relations in Chinese Society	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	The Issue of Hong Kong	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Legitimacy	Lecture (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

The attendance mark will be based on both attendance at lectures and participation in class discussions, questions, interactions, and other activities.

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Week 1: Introduction

No required readings for this week.

Week 2: China’s Revolutions: 1911-1949

Joseph W. Esherick, ‘Ten Theses on the Chinese Revolution’, Modern China, 1995, 21(1), 45-76.

Mark W. Frazier, ‘ “Single Sparks’ and Legacies: An Eventful Account of the May Fourth Movement’, The China Quarterly, 2023, 253, 1-18.

Week 3: China under Mao

Frederick C. Teiwes, “The Chinese State During the Maoist Era,” in David Shambaugh eds., The Modern Chinese State, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000, pp. 105-160.

Andrew G. Walder, China under Mao: A Revolution Derailed, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2015, pp. 315-344

Week 4: China’s economic reform: post 1978

Susan, L. Shirk, The Political Logic of Economic Reform in China, Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1993, pp. 23-51

Mary E. Gallagher, ‘ “Reform and Openness”: Why China’s Economic Reforms have Delayed Democracy’, World Politics, 2002, 54(3): 338-372.

Week 5: Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party

Nimrod Baranovitch, ‘A Strong Leader for a Time of Crisis: Xi Jinping’s Strongman Politics as a Collective Response to Regime Weakness’. Journal of Contemporary China 2021, 20 (128): 249-65.

Ji You, ‘How Xi Jinping Dominates Elite Party Politics: A Case Study of Civil-Military Leadership Formation’, The China Journal 2020, 84: 1-28.

Week 6: The China Model Revisited

Minglu Chen and David Goodman, “The China Model: One Country, Six Authors,” Journal of Contemporary China2012, 21 (73):169-185

Jane Duckett, ‘Bureaucrats in business, Chinese-style: the lessons of market reform and state entrepreneurialism in the People’s Republic of China’, World Development, 2011, 29(1): 23-37.

Week 7: Central-Local Relations

Jae Ho Chung, ‘China’s Local Governance in Perspective: Instruments of Central Government Control’, The China Journal 2015, 75: 38-60

Warren Wenzhi Lu and Kellee S. Tsai, ‘Picking Places and People: Centralizing Provincial Governance in China’, The China Quarterly 2021, 248: 957-986.

Hongzhou Zhang and Alfred M. Wu, ‘Central-Local Relations in China: A Case Study of Heilongjiang’s GMO Ban’, The China Quarterly 2024, 257: 152-168.

Week 8: Participation, Protest and Activism

Pierre F Landry, Deborah Davis and Shiru Wang, ‘Elections in Rural China: competition without parties’, Comparative political Studies, 2010, 43(6): 359-78.

Tony Huiquan Zhang, Jianhua Xu and Jinjin Liu, ‘How do Toothless Tigers Bite? Extra-Institutional Governance and Internet Censorship by Local Governments in China’, The China Quarterly 2025, 261: 196-215.

Feng Chen, ‘Ideologies and Framing Labour Activism in China’, Journal of Political Ideologies 2024, 29(1): 171-192.

Week 9: Women in Politics

Minglu Chen. ‘Women’s Political Leadership and the Party Agenda: The Coverage of Female Politburo Members in the People’s Daily’, The China Journal 2024, 91: 44-66.

Xinhui Jiang and Yunyun Zhou, ‘When Socialist Legacy Meets International Norms: Gender Quota Adoption and Institutional Change in China’, Journal of Contemporary China 2025, 34(151): 161-180.

Week 10: Addressing Inequality

Yingyan Xu, Bingqin Li & Xiaoxing Huang, ‘Outsiders to urban-centric growth: the dual social exclusion of migrant tenant farmers in China’, Third World Quarterly, 42:6, 2021, 1314-1329.

C. Cindy Fan and Mingjie Sun, ‘Regional Inequality in China, 1978-2006’, Eurasian Geography and Economics, 2008, 49(1), 1-20.

Walder, Andrew G. (2023). ‘China’s extreme inequality: The structural legacies of state socialism’. The China Quarterly, 90, 1-26.

Week 11: Ethnic Relations in Chinese Society

James Leibold, ‘Preferential policies for ethnic minorities in China’, in Xiaowei Zang (ed) Handbook of Ethnic Minorities in China, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2016, 165-188.

Ying Miao, ‘Privilege and Prejudice: Han Victimhood and Legitimizing Islamophobia in China’, The China Quarterly2024, 260: 948-969.

Frank N. Pieke, Knowing China: A Twenty-first Century Guide, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2016, Chapter 5, 121-143.

Week 12: The Issue of Hong Kong

Steve Tsang, “The Rise of a Hong Kong Identity,” in Leila Fernández-Stembridge, Taciana Fisac eds., China Today: Economic Reforms, Social Cohesion and Collective Identities, London Routledge, 2003: 222-239.

IP Iam-Chong, ‘Politics of Belonging: A Study of the Campaign against Mainland Visitors in Hong Kong’, Inter-Asia Cultural Studies 2015, 16(3): 410-421.

Week 13: Legitimacy

Gunter Schubert, ‘One-party rule and the question of legitimacy in contemporary China: Preliminary thoughts on setting up a new research agenda’, Journal of Contemporary China 2008, 17 (54): 191-204.

Shouzhi Xia, ‘Amusing Ourselves to Loyalty? Entertainment, Propaganda, and Regime Resilience in China’. Political Research Quarterly 2022, 75(4): 1096-1112.

Hongxing Yang and Dingixin Zhao, ‘Performance legitimacy, state autonomy and China’s economic miracle’, Journal of Contemporary China 2015, 24(91): 64-82.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. develop a clear understanding of the patterns of political change and continuity in Chinese politics
LO2. become familiar with different methods used to study Chinese politics
LO3. demonstrate the ability to synthesize, analyse, and critique scholarly writing on Chinese politics
LO4. enhance critical reading, analytical, and scholarly writing skills.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

I have updated the reading list to include key scholarship and more up-to-date topics and debates.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

GOVT6111: Chinese Politics

Semester 1, 2026 [Normal evening] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links