Product Description

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 haunted by the fear that their days in power are numbered. Theirs is a regime afraid of its own citizens, and this fear motivates many of their decisions when dealing with the U.S. and other foreign 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 these two regions a minefield. It is here, Shirk concludes, in the tangled interactions between Japan, Taiwan, China, and the United States, that the greatest danger lies. Shirk argues that rising powers such as China tend to provoke wars in large part because other countries mishandle them. Unless we understand China's brittle internal politics and the fears that motivate its leaders, we face the very real possibility of avoidable conflict with China. This book provides that understanding.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #48297 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Tribune
An eye-opener of a book, drawing on insider sources... Well researched and readable.

Review
Clearly argued, well-researched and a useful read for anyone with an interest in how China will continue to emerge on the world scene. (Lloyd's List. )

In her extremely convincing book, [Shirk] shows that there is another 'emotional' side which, driven by unresolved internal tensions, could still push China into a military confrontation. (Geoff Dyer, Financial Times )

An eye-opener of a book, drawing on insider sources... Well researched and readable. (Tribune )

Now more than ever we need a realistic approach for dealing with China's rising power. Susan Shirk has an insider's grasp of China's politics and a firm understanding of what makes its leaders tick. China: Fragile Superpower is an important and necessary book. (Brent Scowcroft, former U.S. National Security Advisor )

Shirk deals a dose of realism, outlining how China's incredible economic progress has produced great internal problems, which have led to enormous political sensitivity in its leaders. (Baroness Denise Kingsmill, Management Today )

Susan Shirk has written the definitive book at the right time. For those seeking an objective look at the new China, your search is over. The bonus is that Fragile Superpower is as fascinating as it is informative. A great accomplishment. (Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State )

Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State
Susan Shirk has written the definitive book at the right time. For those seeking an objective look at the new China, your search is over...as fascinating as it is informative. A great accomplishment

Customer Reviews

An excellent contribution to scholarship
Amidst a mountain of recent literature on China and its relations with the world, Susan Shirk's contribution stands out. The writing style is calm and easy, but her knowledge of Chinese diplomacy is very deep, based on first-hand experience as an US diplomat under the Clinton administration. The message is stark: that despite their phenomenal economic growth, Chinese leaders remain acutely conscious of their country's limitations, and China's inherent internal problems are much deeper and, perhaps, more intractable, than most commentators assume.

Ms Shirk is particularly good in her survey of China's current nationalism, fostered and encouraged by the regime in order to provide the Communist Party with a new legitimacy, but now turned into a beast which cannot be controlled, and which increasingly hampers Beijing's ability to conduct its foreign diplomacy.

One would have wished to see a more thorough examination of what the West can do in order to ease China's path, while guiding the country towards a more cooperative behaviour in international institutions. Ms Shirk is very good in explaining what the West should NOT do, but is fairly silent in advocating policies which SHOULD be pursued.

Nevertheless, there is no question that her book is a serious addition to the existing scholarship, and a very judicious, well-documented analysis of how the China's internal politics could still derail that country's "peaceful rise".

reflects worries of the West though not much new insights on what is really happening inside Chinese politics and society
This is one of those new books that aim to make new sense on the sudden surge of Chinese economy and international influence. Based on some personal experiences and interviews, Susan aims to shed some new light on a tough topic. Interesting read, but this book is far away from revealing the dynamics and inner workings of Chinese politics and society. Understanding how the rug is moving turns out no easy task. To get a more realistic picture, read: China and the new world order, by Chinese journalist George Zhibin Gu, which offers inside stories of changing Chinese politics and society, and more significantly, why things happen in the way as they do.

Through American eyes
This is an interesting book. Ms Shirk was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State responsible for relations with China in the Clinton administration. As such she has a more informed insight into China than most. Her basic thesis is straightforward; the current generation of Chinese leaders do not have the accumulated authority of Mao, Zhou Enlai or the other revolutionary leaders. This means that they feel their domestic position is much more insecure than earlier leaders.

This insecurity, together with the effects of the economic restructuring that has taken place in the last 15 years, means that the leadership need to take more hard line nationalist positions than they would otherwise have chosen, in times of crisis. Add to this the difficulty in restricting news in the era of cellphones and the internet, and the nationalism of the masses. Once you've done that you can easily envisage the possibility of every international incident causing a major domestic crisis.

The book analyses recent events in the light of these ideas. Unfortunately this produces a very narrow way of looking at China, which is compounded by a lack of feeling for the wider Chinese history, and an absence of analysis about the fact that the current politburo membership is made up of trained engineers, rather than traditional politicians.

I think that the book is well written, well argued, and well worth reading, but it shouldn't be the only book you read on modern China.