Understanding China New Diplomacy ― Silk Roads and Bullet Trains

The first of its kind, this book critically and systematically addresses questions about China’s high-speed rail diplomacy and ‘one belt, one road’ initiative. Gerald Chan argues that ‘geo-developmentalism’ is currently being formed in China, and explores its international impact.Understanding China’s New Diplomacy offers an in-depth examination of how China has risen so quickly to become a high-speed rail superpower, and how this has impacted positively and negatively on other countries, particularly its neighbours in Asia. Chan also highlights the challenges the initiative poses to the state, particularly in balancing these projects to maintain China’s status as both a land and maritime power. By reviewing the country’s unique style of state capitalism and its success of absorbing foreign train technology, new developmental methods exclusive to China are revealed. Government officials, foreign policy makers and students with a keen desire to discover more about Chinese foreign policy and international relations would greatly benefit from the expert insight into China’s geopolitical future.

Gerald Chan, School of Social Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand