China: Contemporary Political, Economic, and International Affairs(Current History)

China's dramatic transformation over the past fifteen years has drawn its share of attention and fear from the global community and world leaders. Far from the inward-looking days of the Cultural Revolution, modern China today is the world's fourth largest economy, with a net product larger than that of France and the United Kingdom. And China's dynamism is by no means limited to its economy: enrollments in secondary and higher education are rapidly expanding, and new means of communication are vastly increasing information available to the Chinese public. In two decades, the Chinese government has also transformed its foreign relations—Beijing is now consulted on virtually every key development within the region. However, the Communist Party of China still dominates all aspects of political life. The Politburo is still self-selecting, Beijing chooses province governors, censorship is widespread, and treatment of dissidents remains harsh. In China, leading experts provide an overview of the region, highlighting key issues as they developed in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Edited with an introduction by David B. H. Denoon, an authority on China, this volume of articles covers recent events and key issues in understanding this growing superpower. Organized into three thematic sections—foreign policy and national security, economic policy and social issues, and domestic politics and governance—the essays cover salient topics such as China's military power, de-communization, growing economic strength, nationalism, and the possibility for democracy. The volume also contains current maps as well as a "Recent Chronology of Events" which provides a decade's worth of information on the region, organized by year and by country. Contributors: Liu Binyan, David B.H. Denoon, Bruce J. Dickson, June Teufel Dreyer, Michael Dutton, Elizabeth Economy, Barry Eichengreen, Edward Friedman, Dru C. Gladney, Paul H. B. Godwin, Merle Goldman, Richard Madsen, Barry Naughton, Lucian W. Pye, Tony Saich, David Shambaugh, Robert Sutter, Michael D. Swaine, and Tyrene White.

Table of Contents:
IntroductionDavid B. H. DenoonPart I1. The People's Army: Serving Whose Interests? June Teufel Dreyer 2. Uncertainty, Insecurity, and China's Military Power Paul H. B. Godwin 3. Does China Have a Grand Strategy? Michael D. Swaine 4. Sino-American Relations since September 11: Can the New Stability Last?David Shambaugh 5. Asia in the Balance: America and China's "Peaceful Rise" Robert Sutter Part II6. The Long March from Mao: China's De-Communization Liu Binyan7. China's North-South Split and the Forces of DisintegrationEdward Friedman 8. The Dangers of Economic ComplacencyBarry Naughton 9. Rumblings from the Uyghur Dru C. Gladney 10. Beijing's Ambivalent Reformers Bruce J. Dickson11. China's New Exchange Rate Regime Barry EichengreenPart III12. Is Democracy Possible?Merle Goldman 13. The Leader in the ShadowsLucian W. Pye 14. Village Elections: Democracy from the Bottom Up? Tyrene White 15. An All-Consuming Nationalism Michael Dutton 16. Understanding Falun Gong Richard Madsen 17. China's New LeadershipTony Saich18. China's Environmental Challenge Elizabeth Economy Chronology of Recent EventsAbout the Contributors

About the Author :
David B. H. Denoon is Professor of Politics & Economics and Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at New York University. He is the author and co-editor of many books, including China, the United States, and the Future of Latin America.

Review :
"An excellent resource." --Library Journal