China from the Inside Out

Writers from the mainland, Hong Kong and Singapore on the rapid growth of China and how it affects U.S. foreign policy.

From the Archives Looking Back on the Rise of China In recent years China-watchers have debated how its economic transformation might spill over into political change and whether the country could handle its growing pains. Recently they've been impressed with the new leadership's foreign policy sophistication and have continued to mull the nature and domestic consequences of its economic miracle--all the while hoping that American protectionism doesn't rock the boat. — Must-Reads — Notable Books on China Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng Governing China by Kenneth Lieberthal A Bitter Revolution by Rana Mitter The Gate of Heavenly Peace by Jonathan Spence In Search of History by Theodore H. White

China's Search for Stability with America
No country can affect China's fortunes more directly than the United States. Many potential flashpoints -- such as Taiwan, Japan, and North Korea -- remain, and true friendship between Washington and Beijing is unlikely. But their interests have grown so intertwined that cooperation is the best way to serve both countries.

by Wang Jisi

China's "Peaceful Rise" to Great-Power Status
Despite widespread fears about China's growing economic clout and political stature, Beijing remains committed to a "peaceful rise": bringing its people out of poverty by embracing economic globalization and improving relations with the rest of the world. As it emerges as a great power, China knows that its continued development depends on world peace — a peace that its development will in turn reinforce

by Zheng Bijian

Understanding China
The United States has done much to enable China's recent growth, but it has also sent mixed signals that have unnerved Beijing. More consistent engagement is in order, because the course of the twenty-first century will be determined by the relationship between the world's greatest power and the world's greatest emerging power.

by Kishore Mahbubani

China's Global Hunt for Energy
Chinese foreign policy is now driven by China's unprecendented need for resources. In exchange for access to oil and other raw materials to fuel its booming economy, Beijing has boosted its bilateral relations with resource-rich states, sometimes striking deals with rogue governments or treading on U.S. turf. Beijing's hunger may worry some in Washington, but it also creates new grounds for cooperation.

by David Zweig and Bi Jianhai

In China's Own Eyes
The Man Who Changed China, a state-sanctioned portrait of Jiang Zemin, reflects the image that China's new leaders want their people to see: pragmatic, moderate, and above politics. The vision, however, does not often match reality.

by Bruce Gilley