The Rupture: China and the Global Race for the Future

This is the inside story of a revolution in China policy, from Washington to Brussels, Berlin to New Delhi. The Rupture explains how so many of the Western politicians, thinkers and business leaders closest to Beijing have transformed into its sharpest opponents; how this collective rethink was dramatically accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic; and why seemingly obscure debates over 5G technology have become the first test case as to whether the battle for the future may tilt in China's favour. Noted China expert Andrew Small offers his detailed account of a rivalry that ranges far beyond US-China 'great power' politics. He traces US efforts to recast relations with old allies, as Washington has realised that it cannot confront the Chinese challenge alone; he charts the growth of Europe's role in the technological and economic contest, and Beijing's attempts to build a coalition of its own, from Moscow to Taliban-run Kabul. The result is a kaleidoscopic picture showing the true significance of the emerging competition between systems and a lucid analysis of how the free-market, liberal-democratic model itself will be transformed for China's rise will change the balance of ideas as much as it will change the balance of power. '[A] fast-paced and deeply researched book.' Financial Times 'Four years ago, Emmanuel Macron remarked that the era of European naivety on China was over. As Andrew Small establishes in his book The Rupture, the shift was not born primarily of US pressure to pick sides though that was unquestionably felt but of Europe's own dealings with Beijing.' The Guardian 'A nuanced account of how the scales fell from the eyes of Western diplomats, economists and China analysts.' Global Asia '[Small] tells the story with a combination of close detail and clear analysis that will inform both specialists and generalists.' Foreign Affairs 'A compelling, first-person perspective on the West's awakening to the systemic challenges posed by China.' Newsweek 'Detailed and clear-sighted. A valuable report on a consequential global rivalry.' Publishers Weekly

About the Author :
Andrew Small is a senior transatlantic fellow with the German Marshall Fund's Asia Program, which he established in 2006. The author of The China-Pakistan Axis (also published by Hurst), he lives in Berlin.

Review :
A Financial Times Best Politics Book of 2022 '[A] fast-paced and deeply researched book.' 'Four years ago, Emmanuel Macron remarked that the era of European naivety on China was over. As Andrew Small establishes in his book The Rupture, the shift was not born primarily of US pressure to pick sides — though that was unquestionably felt — but of Europe's own dealings with Beijing.' ‘Small’s book, based on years of research in China, Europe and the US, presents a nuanced account of how the scales fell from the eyes of Western diplomats, economists and China analysts.’ 'A real page-turner.' ‘[Small] tells the story with a combination of close detail and clear analysis that will inform both specialists and generalists.’ 'A compelling, first-person perspective on the West’s awakening to the systemic challenges posed by China.' 'Detailed and clear-sighted. A valuable report on a consequential global rivalry.' ‘Anyone who wants to understand the rethinking of China policy that has taken place in recent years, and Beijing’s challenge to Germany and to Europe, must read this smart and compelling account by one of the best-informed insiders.’ 'Ably traces how China went from partner to rival to threat and maps out the challenges that it now poses for the West.' 'The most important book about China written in the past decade. A gripping narrative of great poignancy; a must-read for anyone trying to make sense of the biggest story of our times. 'Thanks to his extensive involvement in Europe's interaction with China, Small's account provides a degree of immediacy and detail lacking in most books on the subject. A sobering story of how a well-intentioned and initially promising European effort of engagement ended in bitter disappointment for both sides.' 'Over the past decade, democracies have started to recognise the economic, technological and ideological challenges posed by China to their prosperity and security. Small is uniquely well positioned to tell the story of this still-incomplete awakening. Essential reading.' 'In incisive analysis, this fills gaps in our understanding of the sources of China's conduct and of the multiple considerations that determine European actions towards China.'