Hong Kong ( CNN ) -- It was about time . It was about time for CNN to broadcast a regular series on China -- a deeper , intelligent look from inside the country itself . And the interest is out there . Anyone who watched the second U.S. presidential debate this week between incumbent Barack Obama and Mitt Romney saw the China sparks fly both on air and online . So much so , Twitter 's government and politics team pointed out that President Obama 's barb to Romney , `` You 're the last person to get tough on China , '' generated some 198,619 tweets per minute . It was the second-most tweeted moment of the debate . More : Full show times . There 's been so much chatter about the Chinese trade advantage and even a so-called Chinese century . But on major Western TV news networks , there 's been no regular programming on Chinese politics , industry and society . From `` Face the Nation '' to `` State of the Union , '' the U.S. has itself well covered with programming recorded from inside the Beltway . But what about a regular series on China broadcast from inside China 's borders ? `` On China '' is a new monthly show shot on location at the historic Hullett House in Hong Kong . In each 30-minute episode , I sit down with thought leaders from China as well as astute observers of this world power for a roundtable discussion about what 's really driving the country . The topic may change month to month , but the goal will be the same -- to engage , inform , and ultimately narrow the gulf of misunderstanding about China . There are no quick-edit sound bites . No populist posturing . No swooshes . Just straight-up analysis and insight from some of the strongest China watchers out there . For the first episode , three unique voices joined me for a focus on the Chinese Communist Party ahead of China 's rare leadership transition . They included leading publisher and influential blogger Hung Huang , former top official in the Chinese Foreign Ministry ( and English interpreter for the late Deng Xiaoping ) Victor Gao , and award-winning journalist and China commentator John Pomfret . On the structure of the Chinese Communist Party , Hung likened it to a company . Think : China Inc.. `` It 's like a corporation , '' she told me . `` The board as the Politburo names the CEO , and then you have middle management which are the ministers and the various commissions , directors and so on . So , for me , it 's really like a corporate town . '' As for how Xi Jinping rose to the top as China 's presumed next president , Victor Gao pointed to Xi 's political pedigree as well as his military links . `` He had a very unique career path , '' said Gao . `` He literally has experience in four provinces and cities -- Hebei , Fujian , Zhejiang and Shanghai -- in addition to his extraordinary experience at the Central Military Commission . '' `` In addition to that , when he was in a civilian position , Mr. Xi Jinping has kept his associations with the Chinese military through various ways -- serving in the reserved forces and taking up leadership of the provincial garrison . That sets him apart from all all the current civilian leaders in China . '' John Pomfret said Gao 's points about Xi 's ties to the military are significant , as they have been largely ignored by the Western media . Pomfret also said Xi will come to power at a time of remarkable instability for the Party . `` We 're entering a new period of uncharted waters , where China 's facing an enormous amount of challenges -- challenges from very charismatic and populist figures like Bo Xilai , challenges from the bottom up from people demanding more predictability in their lives , a legal system that will protect their property , a good school for their kids , clean food for their children and clean air to breathe . '' How the new leadership manages the Party 's political fractures and the people 's growing demands will be a gripping drama to watch unfold in the years ahead ... and to cover on CNN 's `` On China . ''
China and its so-called trade advantage has even dominated the U.S. presidential debate . Stout : 'On China ' will provide `` a deeper , intelligent look from inside the country itself '' Monthly show will feature thought leaders and astute observers of this world power . Stout : `` There are no quick-edit sound bites . No populist posturing . No swooshes ''