Dancing With the Dragon

"China's surging political, economic, and social relations with the developing world have sparked considerable attention and even generated alarm in some national capitals. The chapters in this volume, written by an international ensemble of scholars from Europe. Taiwan, and the United States, provide balanced and invaluable historical and current background on China's developing relations with Africa. Central Asia, the Middle East. Southeast Asia, and other regions, simultaneously illuminating the causes and consequences of these ties and correcting some of the distortions present in the contemporary academic, journalistic, and policy making communities' treatment of these topics." ---Jean-Marc F Blanchard. Center for U.S.-China Policy Studies, San Francisco State University

"This book brings together leading experts from three continents---Asia. Europe, and North America---to examine China's emergence as a major player in the developing world. This comprehensive overview text, with multifaceted analysis based on new scholarship, will interest scholars, students, and practitioners in the fields of Chinese politics. Chinese foreign policy, energy politics, and regional area studies." ---Sujian Guo, San Francisco State University

"Dancing with the Dragon offers valuable perspectives on China's interactions with the developing world." ---Dali Yang, University of Chicago

For the past several decades, China has been transforming itself from an isolated and backward agrarian society into an economic superpower with global interests and responsibilities. Over 300 million Chinese have been lifted out of poverty, and China now enjoys the fastest growing and third largest economy on Earth. Not surprisingly, numerous changes in China's foreign relations have accompanied the astounding transformations in the country's domestic politics and society. Perhaps most surprising to some observers is Beijing's aggressive foray into the so-called developing world. This coedited book focuses on China's increasing engagement with many of the less developed countries---particularly those in Africa. Latin America. Southeast Asia. Central Asia, and the Middle East---and explores the current and future trends in Beijing's foreign relations. The old and hackneyed call for revolutionary struggle and world revolution has been consigned to the dustbin of history. In its place is a concrete pledge to construct a "win-win" relationship with any country willing to deepen ties with Beijing. Dancing with the Dragon will help readers gain a greater understanding of China's foreign relations in this critical part of the global community.

Dennis Hickey is the James F. Morris Endowed Professor of Political Science at Missouri State University.
Baogang Guo is associate professor of political science at Dalton State College.