We've written quite a bit over the past two years about the likelihood of social upheaval in China.

Since assuming office, Xi has presided over the country's emergence as a force to be reckoned with both militarily and financially on the world stage. Indeed, there's an argument to be made that Beijing has returned the globe to a bipolarity not seen since the height of the Cold War.

Meanwhile, the President has also embarked on an ambitious anti-corruption campaign ("Tigers and Flies") that's ensnared thousands upon thousands of Party officials in a sweeping effort to stamp out perceived violations of decorum and ensure that the rank and file toes the Party line.