2008, ISBN: 9780195373196

Oxford, University Press, XI; 320 S.; Illustr.; 23,5 cm; kart. Gutes Ex. - Englisch. - Once a sleeping giant, China today is the world's fastest growing economy, a turnaround so dramatic,… More...

Oxford, University Press, XI; 320 S.; Illustr.; 23,5 cm; kart. Gutes Ex. - Englisch. - Once a sleeping giant, China today is the world's fastest growing economy, a turnaround so dramatic, and with repercussions so wide-ranging, that it has dazzled, bewildered, and alarmed many Westerners. As Susan L. Shirk's China: Fragile Superpower reveals, the real danger lies not in China's astonishing growth but in the deep insecurity of its leaders. Their anxious reactions to the violent protests in Tibet and the horrific Sichuan earthquake on the eve of the Olympics highlight the troubling paradox they face: the more developed and prosperous the country becomes, the more insecure and threatened they feel. Shirk, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State responsible for China, knows many of today's Chinese rulers personally and has studied them for three decades. She offers invaluable insight into how they think-and what they fear. Readers of this book will see the world through the eyes of men like President Hu Jintao and former President Jiang Zemin. We discover a regime desperate to survive in a society turned upside down by astonishing economic growth and a startling openness to the outside world. China's leaders closely track public opinion on the Internet and constantly worry that citizens could turn against them. The tragic earthquake in Sichuan Province demanded unprecedented gov-ernmental transparency and inspired civic mobilization not seen since the events in Tiananmen Square-but are China's leaders confident enough to sustain this openness or will they revert to control? In the midst of this tumultuous time, China: Fragile Superpower offers an illuminating and sure-footed guide to the country whose destiny is now inextricably tied up with our own. ... (Verlagstext) ISBN 9780195373196China [China; Politik; Geschichte] 2008, [PU: Oxford University Press]<

1989, ISBN: 9780195373196

Once a sleeping giant, China today is the world's fastest growing economy--the leading manufacturer of cell phones, laptop computers, and digital cameras--a dramatic turn-around that alar… More...

Once a sleeping giant, China today is the world's fastest growing economy--the leading manufacturer of cell phones, laptop computers, and digital cameras--a dramatic turn-around that alarms many Westerners. But in China: Fragile Superpower, Susan L. Shirk opens up the black box of Chinese politics and finds that the real danger lies elsewhere--not in China's astonishing growth, but in the deep insecurity of its leaders. China's leaders face a troubling paradox: the more developed and prosperous the country becomes, the more insecure and threatened they feel. Shirk, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State responsible for China, knows many of today's Chinese rulers personally and has studied them for three decades. She offers invaluable insight into how they think--and what they fear. In this revealing book, readers see the world through the eyes of men like President Hu Jintao and former President Jiang Zemin. We discover a fragile communist regime desperate to survive in a society turned upside down by miraculous economic growth and a stunning new openness to the greater world. Indeed, ever since the 1989 pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square and the fall of communism in the Soviet Union, Chinese leaders have been afraid of its own citizens, and this fear motivates many of their decisions when dealing with the U.S. and other nations. In particular, the fervent nationalism of the Chinese people, combined with their passionate resentment of Japan and attachment to Taiwan, have made relations with this country a minefield. The paperback edition features a new preface by the author. Media >, [PU: Oxford University Press]<