Attention, World: China Elected a New Leader, Too

As you are aware, the 1.2 billion members of the Catholic Church on Wednesday identified a new leader. You may not have heard, however, that the 1.3 billion citizens of China did as well, and just a few hours later.

The ascension of Pope Francis, with its centuries of tradition, dramatic special effects, and multiple, secret ballots, understandably captured the public imagination. As of this writing, Google News returns some 4.8 million results for the name Bergoglio. The election of Xi Jinping as president of China early this morning happened with much less fanfare, in a public vote at the National People's Congress. While it took Francis five contested votes to cobble together the 77 vote margin needed for victory, Xi got the job done in one ballot, gaining approval with the respectable tally of 2,955-1. He lost the Google News margin, however, having garnered only about 61,500 mentions to this point.

Granted, Xi's election came as no surprise. As The New York Times notes, the 59-year-old Xi was picked as the general secretary of the Communist Party four months ago, making his election as president largely a formality. The Congress also selected Xi's ally Li Yuanchao as vice president.

It's a tricky moment for a transition of power. Xi inherits a number of significant challenges from his predecessor. The