How does China’s new leadership affect economy?

China's new leadership has been introduced. What sort of expertise and approach will they bring to Chinese politics? How does it affect the Chinese economy?

For months there has been speculation about the names of the five new standing committee members: What they studied, what they've done, how they govern. People want a glimpse into China's leadership dynamics, succession planning.

But now the focus turns to policy direction.

Their ages are similar but they come from different corners of China. Premier Li Keqiang will ensure continuity of policy and reforms.

The new leaders are taking over the reins of an economy that's grown faster than even the Party has expected.

“We didn't think China could grow so fast. For example, since the 18th Party Congress, our economy has gone from 54 trillion yuan to 80 trillion yuan, the world's second largest, with a jump in production capacity and a large accumulation of wealth,” said Han Jun, Member of 19th CPC National Congress Documents Drafting Team.

How to keep corruption from chipping away at that wealth is why Zhao Leji, the youngest committee member also gets the most attention.

He will head up the CPC Central Commission for disciplinary committee. Zhao's career is highlighted by leadership at two western Chinese provinces taking local economies from lagging to more prosperous.

Li Zhanshu has held positions in Hebei, as well as northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and southwest China's Guizhou Province. As director of the General Office of the Communist Party, he is seen as being active in facilitating China-Russia ties.

Wang Huning has spent the last 15 years as director of the Central Committee's Policy Research Office. He is expected to provide ideological support for the Party.

A familiar face for international investors is Vice Premier Wang Yang.

He has been Party secretary of China's biggest and most important regions -- Guangdong and Chongqing. He has also headed the central leading group on poverty reduction, something at the core of Xi's people-centered governance philosophy.

“We spoke to lots of China experts. They say if you want to understand the core of top Party chief Xi's governance philosophy for the past five years, it's the idea of people's livelihoods,” said Liz Mcleod, producer of the documentary "China: Time of Xi."

Another official well-known to investors is Han Zheng. He has spent his career in Shanghai, first managing a shoe factory, then leading the revitalization of Luwan District, before becoming the city's mayor in 2003. With training as an economist, hopes are he will bring the Shanghai touch to growth policies in China's new era.

Foreign investors will be looking for clarity on growth versus deleveraging.

“Companies' expectations are positive. There’s uncertainty about post-Congress trajectory...whether China can balance risk of leveraging credit to stimulate economy, versus letting it slow, challenging. Unclear what decision they’ll make,” said Jacob Parker, vice president of US-China Business Council.

(CGTN)