China's "effective second fiddle?"

China just had its own November of change.

Earlier Thursday in Beijing, an elite group of seven men were named to the Politburo Standing Committee - the top decision-making body of the Chinese Communist Party.

A lot has been reported already on Xi Jinping, the new General-Secretary of the Party and the presumed next President of China. But what about Li Keqiang, the man destined to be China's next Prime Minister?

Today on News Stream, I spoke to Victor Gao - a former top official in the Chinese Foreign Ministry (and English interpreter for the late Deng Xiaoping) about Li and the prospects for reform in China. Gao said the leader has some powerful patrons but must learn to be an "effective second fiddle" to Xi Jinping. As for change, the Standing Committee as a group must come up with solutions for new problems.

Achieving both stability and solutions in an ever-dynamic and demanding China. It will be delicate dance for China's new leadership.