Chinese Political History II: Chapter 4, Exercise 2 — Possible Solution
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TASK
Compare the 2002 and 2012 handovers post by post, and explain why the
second is treated as more of a precedent, and why one instance does not
establish a norm.

TABLE
  Post                     Jiang -> Hu              Hu -> Xi
  General Secretary        Nov 2002                 Nov 2012
  President                Mar 2003                 Mar 2013
  CMC chair                Sep 2004 (Jiang kept     Hu gave up all
                           it about two years)      positions Nov 2012

WHY THE SECOND IS MORE OF A PRECEDENT
In 2002 the outgoing leader kept the military post for two more years,
so the handover was staged. In 2012, one summary says, Hu stepped down
from all his positions, and it calls the departure praiseworthy as a
precedent.

WHY ONE INSTANCE DOES NOT ESTABLISH A NORM
A norm needs repetition and expectation. One complete retirement, at the
end of the period, is not enough to show that the next leader would do
the same. The sources also do not describe any rule requiring it.

POINT
Say "a precedent was set in 2012," not "the rule was that leaders retire
fully." Chapters 6 and 7 test whether it held.