The 18th Congress of the Communist Party of China, which ends today, will lay down the framework of China's future leadership. The change of leadership in China could only bring positive changes in Sino-Indian ties, not vice versa. For the new generation of Chinese leaders the most pressing and also ticklish challenge could be— at the internal level— on social management and social construction. At the external level it would be on the management of Sino-US relations, settlement of maritime disputes and safeguarding sea-rights in the west-Pacific region-which will be the most geo-strategic focus of China's new leadership.