This paper analyzes the question whether or not in China structures of a civil society are emerging. It addresses the increasing separation of state and society, the society's differentiation, growing social and spatial disparities, the turn of the CCP from a class towards a people's party, the arising of new interest groups and interest organizations, of issue groups, NGOs, GONGOS and think tanks, developing grassroots elections in rural and urban areas and the political role of the Internet. It concludes that the application of the term 'civil society' in this case is highly problematic as citizens in Western terms and the necessary preconditions like an enterprise culture, a civic culture, a discoursive culture and an everyday culture are just emerging.