After being elected China's president, Xi Jinping left the world speculating when he spoke of "striving to achieve the dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation". One Western newspaper even said that it was a collective national dream, unfavorably contrasting it with the "American dream" of giving individuals equal opportunities.

But for the Chinese, the dream of the nation's rejuvenation is a reminder of the collective humiliation they suffered during the colonial era. For them, it means winning back China's place as a world leader in science, technology, economy and culture.

High economic growth in recent decades may have made China more confident of realizing the Chinese Dream, but the country's new leaders face serious challenges that could hamper their efforts to realize the goal.