By Ji Yongyong， Clinton Foundation analyst

       Many citizens still remember the debut of one of China’s bestseller, The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin. A few years ago, customers waited outside bookstores to purchase a copy. It was the first time a biography of a living Chinese leader had been published in China. Stories of its success and influence ran in the international press.

     Since that time, author Robert Lawrence Kuhn has been working on another book that has just been released,  How China’s Leader Thinks: The Inside Story of China’s Reform and What This Means for the Future.” Mr. Kuhn spoke recently to the America-based National Committee on U.S.-China Relations about his new book and his experiences with China’s leaders.

     During his presentation, Mr. Kuhn depicted positive trends among Chinese leaders over the past 30 years in terms of reform, a progressive mindset, a diverse educational background and a strong sense of responsibility.

     He suggested that today’s leaders have a progressive sense of reform. He cited Kunming’s Communist Party Secretary Qiu He as an example. When first appointed, Mr. Qiu required top local officials to publicly list their phone numbers so that local constituents could call them directly. He pushed city administrators to be accountable and to implement transparency rules.

     Mr. Kuhn cited Bo Xilai and his journalism education as an example of a diversity of backgrounds among the current leadership.  He said earlier leaders came primarily from science and engineering backgrounds.

     Today’s leadership in China see this century as vital, he asserted. He noted a sense of responsibility to sustain development in the midst of a still-recovering global economy. He outlined a binary set of priorities focused on improving the Chinese economy and implementing reform.

     Mr. Kuhn intends to publish his new book in China both in print and in an electronic version. He expressed his hope that the book will enjoy the same popularity in China as his previous one.

     Ji Yongyong is CTW’s New York correspondent.

    库恩新书再度聚焦中国领导人

    许多人也许还记得这本红极一时的书《他改变了中国：江泽民传》。当年有许多人在书店门口排队去买这本书。这本书被认为是中国历史上第一次出版现有领导人的自传。许多国外媒体都对这本书在当时所产生的轰动进行了报道。

    在那之后，这本书的作者罗伯特·劳伦斯·库恩博士又构思并于最近出版了他的新书《中国领导人如何思考：中国改革的内幕以及对于未来的含义》。近日， 库恩博士在美中关系全国委员会举行了一场关于这本新书以及他与中国领导人交往的报告讲座。

    在库恩博士的讲座中，他提到了在过去改革开放30年中，中国领导人体现了三点优秀的品质：具有改革与进步的思想；多样的教育背景；以及强烈的责任心。

    库恩博士首先提到，中国领导人具有改革进步的思想。他认为昆明市委书记仇和是典型的代表。仇和刚刚上任的时候，他要求市里所有领导公布他们的手机号码。任何人有问题都可以直接打电话给领导。仇和并且要求领导人必须负责，并且制定相关的条例来提高办公透明度。

    库恩博士提到学新闻出身的薄熙来，认为他是中国领导人教育背景多元化的代表。他说以前的领导人大多数都是理工科背景。

    库恩博士说，中国的领导人认为，21世纪对于中国来说是个重要时期。中国领导人对于如何在世界经济衰退这个背景中保持中国经济快速发展有强烈的责任感。他认为，如何提升中国的经济以及如何实施改革是最重要的。

    库恩博士计划在中国推出新书的印刷版和电子版。他希望这本书能够吸引广大中国读者的兴趣，如同上一本书一样。

    作者为本刊驻纽约首席记者