While two-party and/or multi-party democracies thrive on differing policies being pushed by fresh leadership in regular elections, what happens in the case of one-party rule? In China, the Communist Party changes hands through a selection of its “paramount leader'' who also espouses their own philosophy that evolves along with the Communist party. Still, the essential idea is consistent: preserve the party above all else. We explore the basic tenets of political theories of China’s five “Paramount Leaders.”

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At the 2026 Munich Security Conference, Brad Smith announces the launch of the Trusted Tech Alliance, a coalition of global technology leaders, including Microsoft, committing to secure cross-border tech flows, ethical governance, and stronger data protections.

Tune in today at 12pm ET/6pm CET for the live premiere of our Global Stage from the 2026 Munich Security Conference, where our panel of experts takes aim at the latest global security challenges. NY Times National Security Correspondent David Sanger moderates the discussion with Benedetta Berti, Secretary General, NATO Parliamentary Assembly; Ian Bremmer, President & Co-founder, Eurasia Group & GZERO Media; Dr. Wolfgang Dierker, Global Head of Government Affairs, SAP; and Brad Smith, Vice Chair & President, Microsoft.