Analysis: U.S. election could dictate Xi Jinping's political schedule

Katsuji Nakazawa is a Tokyo-based senior staff and editorial writer at Nikkei. He spent seven years in China as a correspondent and later as China bureau chief. He was the 2014 recipient of the Vaughn-Ueda International Journalist prize.

Speculation is swirling that Chinese President Xi Jinping might forego custom and hastily convene a key party meeting to discuss China's strategy for dealing with the next U.S. president.