First published 2018
China has dropped its modest mask. Former New York Times Asia correspondent Howard French examines how the nation now openly pursues global dominance after decades of quiet growth following its 1978 reforms. French reveals how China builds naval power, expands territorial claims in the South China Sea, and pressures smaller nations diplomatically. At the heart of this behavior lies tian xia, an ancient belief that all lands "under the heavens" belong within Chinese influence. French combines historical research with field reporting to show how this millennia-old worldview shapes modern Chinese policy in ideological, philosophical, and legal ways. He argues that understanding this imperial identity allows us to predict China's future actions as global power shifts. The book includes a new afterword that updates French's analysis of China's continuing rise and its implications for world order.
Genres: history, international-relations, political-science, china, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-nonfiction, political-commentary
Setting: China, New York, South China Sea
Period: 1978, 21st-century
352 pages · Paperback · Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group