China's potential seen from high altitude

To get the big picture, one must rise high above the details - to the 30,000-foot level. (That's about 9,000 meters for those who prefer the more sensible metric system.)

The 19th CPC National Congress provides an opportunity to get a 30,000-foot view of China's progress and assess its future.

But while you can see a great deal from 30,000 feet, it's not quite enough. I prefer going higher - to 60,000 feet - which enters the realm of philosophy and political theory. From here you can see the curvature of the Earth and begin to grasp the trajectory of mankind.