1. Free trade zones – how do they work, and how are they permissible under WTO?
  2. How does the Party exert control? Does it give instructions to enterprise executives; public officials; judges?
  3. What is your take on U.S. pressure to enforce IP rights?
  4. Is there a trend toward elections? What is being learned from local elections? How soon will there be national elections? Do people want elections?
  5. What happens if you speak out critically about economic policy? About the role of the Party?
  6. Talk about the historical difficulty in keeping China from splintering into separate political entities
  7. What do you think will happen long term with Taiwan
  8. What is the attitude toward the U.S. Is there mass popular support for China developing the military capability to thwart U.S. military power (a) in East Asia, (b) elsewhere?
  9. Will the liberalization of Chinese economic policy and the emergence of a Chinese superpower necessarily lead to greater protections in the area of human rights, labor/employment, and privacy? One would think that as China continues its course to greater economic, political and military power, the middle class will demand the freedoms and protections enjoyed by other powerful countries...and maybe even demand general elections. However, based on displays like Tiananmen Square maybe not.
  10. Also, I know that a number of Chinese local leaders travel to American universities (including IIT) to learn about the American political system. Do you think that this will affect Chinese political make-up?
  11. Who appoints Chinese judges; who has the power to remove them; who pays their salaries?