The Role of Socialism in Xi's Worldview

The catchphrase for contemporary Chinese politics in the post-78 period has been this marvelous term of political convenience, socialism with Chinese characteristics. When you try and pin our Chinese interlocutors down on this subject as to what does Chinese characteristics mean? The ideologues and the ideational leaders will just look at you and smile benignly - that's for us to determine. So basically it's one ginormous escape clause.