The Chinese government is one of the most important actors in international affairs today. To thoroughly understand how the People's Republic of China has grown in power requires a careful analysis of its political system. To what extent can China's economic achievements be attributed to the country's political system and its policies? What are the effects of economic modernization and global economic integration on the Chinese polity? Is the Chinese political system capable of adapting to changing economic, technological, social, and international conditions? Exploring these central questions, this definitive book provides readers with a comprehensive assessment of the preconditions, prospects, and risks associated with China's political development.

This balanced and thoughtful book presents a thorough analysis of the dynamics of China's foreign relations. Sebastian Heilmann and Dirk H. Schmidt provide a comprehensive and discriminating view of the complex, often competing factors (domestic influences, regional tensions, global uncertainties) that shape Chinese foreign policy. They portray the PRC as a land of multiple identities-a nation that is becoming more assertive in East Asia as it explores novel approaches to its foreign economic policies, while simultaneously displaying thin-skinned sensitivities when confronted with international criticism. The authors argue that unconventional approaches to foreign relations-in particular a unique combination of long-term strategies with multilevel policy experiments-are driving Chinese global expansion. The provocative and challenging final chapter, designed to spur discussion, considers China's imperial identity warring against the decentralized activities conducted in the "shadow of the empire." Illicit transnational "guerilla-like" networks have thus become powerful driving forces behind the continued development of China's foreign policy as well as its foreign-trade relations. The authors contend that the activities of these "niche nomads," with their largely invisible or chameleon-like presence, constitute the most alarming dimension of China's foreign relations as they gain ground and resources in many parts of the world with the potential to shake the very foundations of other societies.

This balanced and thoughtful book presents a thorough analysis of the dynamics of China's foreign relations. Sebastian Heilmann and Dirk H. Schmidt provide a comprehensive and discriminating view of the complex, often competing factors (domestic influences, regional tensions, global uncertainties) that shape Chinese foreign policy. They portray the PRC as a land of multiple identities-a nation that is becoming more assertive in East Asia as it explores novel approaches to its foreign economic policies, while simultaneously displaying thin-skinned sensitivities when confronted with international criticism. The authors argue that unconventional approaches to foreign relations-in particular a unique combination of long-term strategies with multilevel policy experiments-are driving Chinese global expansion. The provocative and challenging final chapter, designed to spur discussion, considers China's imperial identity warring against the decentralized activities conducted in the "shadow of the empire." Illicit transnational "guerilla-like" networks have thus become powerful driving forces behind the continued development of China's foreign policy as well as its foreign-trade relations. The authors contend that the activities of these "niche nomads," with their largely invisible or chameleon-like presence, constitute the most alarming dimension of China's foreign relations as they gain ground and resources in many parts of the world with the potential to shake the very foundations of other societies.

The Chinese government is one of the most important actors in international affairs today. To thoroughly understand how the People's Republic of China has grown in power requires a careful analysis of its political system. To what extent can China's economic achievements be attributed to the country's political system and its policies? What are the effects of economic modernization and global economic integration on the Chinese polity? Is the Chinese political system capable of adapting to changing economic, technological, social, and international conditions? Exploring these central questions, this definitive book provides readers with a comprehensive assessment of the preconditions, prospects, and risks associated with China's political development.

Observers have been predicting the demise of China's political system since Mao Zedong's death over thirty years ago. The Chinese Communist state, however, seems to have become increasingly adept at responding to challenges ranging from leadership succession and popular unrest to administrative reorganization, legal institutionalization, and global economic integration. What political techniques and procedures have Chinese policymakers employed to manage the unsettling impact of the fastest sustained economic expansion in world history?

As the authors of these essays demonstrate, China's political system allows for more diverse and flexible input than would be predicted from its formal structures. Many contemporary methods of governance have their roots in techniques of policy generation and implementation dating to the revolution and early PRC--techniques that emphasize continual experimentation. China's long revolution had given rise to this guerrilla-style decisionmaking as a way of dealing creatively with pervasive uncertainty. Thus, even in a post-revolutionary PRC, the invisible hand of Chairman Mao--tamed, tweaked, and transformed--plays an important role in China's adaptive governance.

Die chinesische Regierung ist zu einem der wichtigsten Akteure in der internationalen Politik aufgestiegen. Ohne eine sorgfaltige Analyse des politischen Systems ist ein fundiertes Verstandnis des Aufstiegs der Volksrepublik China nicht moeglich. Welchen Anteil haben politisches System und Staatstatigkeit an der wirtschaftlichen Transformation Chinas? Welche Konsequenzen haben wirtschaftliche Modernisierung und weltwirtschaftliche Integration fur das politische System? Ist das politische System zur Anpassung an veranderte oekonomische, technologische, gesellschaftliche und internationale Bedingungen fahig? Welche Potenziale und Risiken werden die mittelfristige Entwicklung des politischen Systems pragen? Dieses Buch soll zu einem differenzierten Verstandnis der Voraussetzungen, Potenziale und Risiken der politischen Entwicklung in China beitragen. Es basiert auf einer umfassenden Auswertung chinesischer Quellen und auf dem neuesten Stand der internationalen Chinaforschung.

Neue, lebensweltlich kontextualisierte,problembezogene und thematisch querschnittorientierte Forschungs- und Qualifizierungsansatze im Bereich Nachhaltigkeit werden in diesem Sammelband sowohl auf konzeptioneller Ebene als auch anhand ausgewahlter Handlungsfelder vorgestellt. Der Umgang mit globalen Umweltproblemen und -veranderungen im Zusammenhang mit gesellschaftlichen Gerechtigkeitsfragen bedarf neuer Problemzugange und -bearbeitungen. Die genderorientierte Nachhaltigkeitsforschung positioniert sich als herrschaftskritische Ungleichheitsforschung und tragt zur gesellschaftlichen Entwicklung zu mehr Gleichberechtigung, Empowerment und Emanzipation bei.

Die Erfolge Chinas in der Durchsetzung eines umfassenden nationalen Modernisierungsprogramms sowie in der Abstutzung dieses Programms durch eine uberaus aktive Aussen- und Aussenwirtschaftspolitik fordern die bislang dominierende Position der USA, Europas und Japans in Weltpolitik und Weltwirtschaft heraus. Inwieweit lasst sich das aufstrebende Land in internationale Regelwerke und Verantwortlichkeiten einbinden? Verinnerlichen aussenpolitische Akteure in China wirklich die Spielregeln internationaler Kooperation oder passen sie sich nur vordergrundig an, um zu warten, bis China diese Regeln zu seinen Gunsten verandern kann? Wird China zu einer strategischen Bedrohung oder zu einem berechenbaren und kooperationsbereiten Partner? Chinas Aussenbeziehungen werden in deren Verknupfung mit globalen wie auch innerchinesischen Veranderungsprozessen dargelegt. Im Einzelnen werden chinesische Sichtweisen der internationalen Beziehungen, Grundmuster der aussenpolitischen Willensbildung, Sicherheits-, Aussenwirtschafts-, Wahrungs-, Klima- und Menschenrechtspolitik wie auch eine Reihe wichtiger bilateraler Beziehungen behandelt. Das Buch basiert auf in den vergangenen zwanzig Jahren entstandenen eigenen Forschungsarbeiten, einer umfassenden Auswertung chinesischer Quellen und dem neuesten Stand der internationalen Chinaforschung.