The laws that made 2010 go round

As this year draws to a close, we look forward to 2011 and the new goals the Central Committee has put forth in the draft of its 12th Five Year Plan. These will shape legislation expected in the new year, and the implementation and enforcement of rules that came into force in 2010 (in a last push from the government to accomplish the goals set out in the 11th Five Year Plan).

In the new plan, conspicuous themes loom across its proposed aims and share a very telling story about achieving stability and balance over the coming years. This reflects China's persistent efforts to bridge social and income gaps, create a stable political front, and moderate its increasingly rapid acceleration into the economic superpower stratosphere.