The pivotal Communist Party congress at which China installs its next generation of leaders has been a well-oiled machine in which all groups perform closely prescribed roles in a well choreographed process that embodies the collectivist spirit espoused by the party.

As the new General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping became leader of China, securing the party's top spot and oversight of the military in a political transition upset by scandals that have added fuel to public demands for change as the country faces slower economic growth.