The Making of Foreign Policy in China

This book is the first serious analysis of the process by which China’s foreign policy is made. Dr. Barnett’s path-breaking study draws on his own primary research, which included extensive personal interviews with a wide range of Chinese officials (including Premier Zhao Ziyang), academics, and foreign policy specialists. Barnett describes a major shift in top-level decision-making from the Politburo and Standing Committee to the Party Secretariat and State Council. He analyses the foreign policy roles of various specialised party and government organ-izations, as well as the roles of key government ministries and the military establishment. He discusses not only the institutions and individuals involved in the policy process but also the sources of information and system of analysis on which their decisions are based. Dr. Barnett has written the most detailed and up-to-date study available on this subject. The importance of this book is directly linked to China’s emerging role as a world power. It will prove an essential tool for those interested in China studies, Sino-Soviet relations, China’s role in South East Asia and the Third World and the whole issue of trade with China.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 Introduction: trends affecting the policy-making process. Part 2 Top-level policy-making institutions and individuals: Zhao Ziyand on the structure of policy-making; Deng Ziaoping's role; consensus and differences at the top; personalized or institutionalized decision making?. Part 3 The role of the Politburo: the policy process - the establishment of special economic zones; the role of individual politburo members. Part 4 The party secretariat and affiliated groups: party secretariat membership; foreign affairs small group; international liaison department. Part 5 The state council: the premier; vice-premiers; state councillors; coordination point for foreign policy; other coordinating mechanisms; state council research coordination. Part 6 The foreign ministry: sources of information and analysis; personnel - sources and characteristics. Part 7 Economic, military, and cultural institutions: ministry of foreign economic relations and trade; the military establishment; the military commission; political-military and military-strategic analysis; routine political-military coordination; political-military coordination in crisis situations; cultural aspects of foreign policy. Part 8 Other sources of information and analysis: the press; research institutes; intelligence; universities; the foreign policy community. Part 9 Structure, process, policy, and politics.

About the Author :
One of the most distinguished China experts of our time, A. Doak Barnett was Professor of Government at Columbia University before becoming a Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution and Professor of Chinese Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University.