Xuezhi Guo, the Lincoln Financial Professor of Political Science at Guilford College and author of 'The Politics of the Core Leader in China,' dives into the evolution of China's political leadership. He discusses the crucial shift under Xi Jinping from collective leadership to concentrated power, linking it to historical practices of core leadership. Guo highlights how Confucianism and Legalism have shaped governance while elucidating the balance needed between strongmen and collective rule. The conversation also explores the implications for the future of China's political landscape.