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Provides readers with an understanding of the important and emerging political, economic and social trends and challenges in East Asia in the coming years.

The South China Sea Disputes: Historical, Geopolitical and Legal Studies covers various issues regarding the currently controversial theme of the South China Sea (SCS) disputes. It contains insights by scholars mostly from Republic of China (Taiwan), along with ones from Peoples' Republic of China (mainland China), the Philippines, Australia, and the United States (US).The book is divided into three sections, wherein the historical analysis section illustrates certain important but currently neglected treaties for SCS, e.g., the San Francisco Peace Treaty, the Taipei Treaty, and the Cairo Declaration. In particular, the Nationalist government's efforts to recover the Chinese sovereignty in the islands of SCS after the end of World War II are covered. Archival research found in the national archives of the Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the US, and Japan, revealing materials with potential for enhancing territorial and sovereignty claims is covered. In addition, the US State Department historical materials on the SCS disputes are also shown.The geopolitical analysis section in the book specifically addresses the state practice in SCS by Taiwan. It also reveals Taiwan's evolving attitudes from thoughtful planning to perfunctory policy thereof. The circumstances of US-China rivalry in the SCS are also discussed.The legal analysis section includes an explanation of the arbitral award of the SCS, wherein it argues that this arbitration is a non-justiciable dispute resolution. This book serves as a good reference for readers interested in South China Sea disputes.

Based on the study done by the Research Group on Social Structure Change in Contemporary China, a group affiliated with the Institute of Sociology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, this book recommends theories and methods on social structure to society and readers, and investigates the development and change in China's social structure.

Takes a fresh approach to township or xiangzhen governance. This title explores the structural constraints on township governance and the way that these constraints influence the day-to-day behavior of Chinese rural grassroots government leaders. It is based on thoroughgoing interviews with township and village cadres and villagers.

As China rises to become the world's largest economy, it is expected to alleviate half-a-billion people from being rural villagers to urban residents in the coming decades. The great urbanization of the world's most populated country is sure to be one of the most remarkable social-economic events in the 21st century. This book aims to give the reader a clear and comprehensive review of this unfolding event. It not only presents a historical review of the evolution of public policies and institutional reforms regarding urban development, but also an up-to-date survey and in-depth analysis of various social-economic forces that define and contribute to the process of urbanization. The target audiences include students of modern China and professionals interested in China's urban development. The general public as well as scholars may also find the book informative and fascinating.

Examines different dynamics such as marketisation, globalisation and new media technologies that have driven the transformation of China's media industry against the backdrop of the growing tensions between economic growth, globalisation, and political control in China.

Provides an analysis of the main Chinese industrial sectors through case studies, data analysis and review of state-initiated policies. This book uses key sectors including automobile, steel, shipbuilding, high-speed railway and new energy, to analyze the development of China's industries, along with their challenges and future prospects.

Analyzes tobacco control policies in China from the perspectives of economics and health. This book provides analytical and empirical framework addressing key debated issues. It covers a range of topics from prevalence of smoking in China, health and economic burden of smoking in China, demand for cigarettes and taxation in China, and more.

Presents a perspective of the experiences of China's reform over the years by focusing on China's interaction with and learning from the external world in her unprecedented efforts to reform and open up. This book deals with lessons from the Eastern Bloc, China's reform in East Asian context, and China and the developed world.

Tackles the issue of governance in China. This book provides information on China's political elites and evaluates their ability to deal with crises through four case studies: the Tibet issue, the Taiwan issue, the Sichuan Earthquake, and the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

China has an estimated 120-150 million internal migrants from the countryside living in its cities. This volume examines the key issues involved in establishing social protection for them, including a critical examination of deficiencies in arrangements and a study of proposals that have been offered for extending social security coverage.

Acting as a Sorcerer's Apprentice, the West incorporated 1.3 billion Chinese and 1.2 billion Indians into the world's labour equation within a context of lower production costs. This resulted in erosion of its competitive capacity and social stability, while greatly benefiting developing economies, many of which were able to emerge with unprecedented speed. With China as the main engine, the developing economies have become increasingly integrated, sustaining in the process a fundamental part of the global trade growth. While this phenomenon took shape, excesses within Western economies generated a seismic crisis that dramatically accelerated a slow decline. As the ascendant and descendant curves of developing and developed economies are crossing each other, a decoupling tendency between both has become evident. The economic partnership between China and Latin America epitomizes well the growing integration between emerging economies. Even if mostly benefiting from it, Latin America is under the double sign of threat and opportunity due to this complex relation. For Latin America to prevail, it will need to reinvent itself. The analyses and information contained in this book will be of interest to researchers, academics and policy-makers alike.

Before 1978, China was backward economically, politically, diplomatically and was extremely isolated.

Most of the existing literature on health system reform in China deals with only one part of the reform process (for example, financing reform in rural areas, or the new system of purchasing pharmaceuticals), or consists of empirical case studies from particular cities or regions. This book gives a broad overview of the process of health system reform in China. It draws extensively both on the Western literature in health economics and on the experience of health care reform in a number of other countries, including the US, UK, Holland, and Japan, and compares China's approach to health care reform with other countries. It also places the process of health system reform in the context of re-orienting China's economic policy to place greater emphasis on equity and income distribution, and analyzes the interaction of the central and local governments in designing and implementing the reforms. This book will be of interest to policymakers, academics, students of health economics, health policy and health administration, and people who are interested in Chinese social policy.

Analyzes the factors in China's governance and political process that affect and restrain its capacity to handle the mounting environmental problems. This work argues that solutions to China's ecological woes to a larger extent lie in the political and institutional changes rather than in engineering, technological and investment input.

Attempts to conceptualize China's central-local relations from the behavioral perspective. Although China does not have a federalist system of government, the author believes that, with deepening reform and openness, China's central-local relations is increasingly functioning on federalist principles.

Approaches the study of China under Hu Jintao in a two-fold manner: by examining the political parameters within which the party-state functions and by analyzing the issues that are commanding the attention of China's leaders. It tackles a range of topics, including elites, institutions and state-society relations, and others.

There is no denying that China is experiencing radical changes, generally initiated by the vibrant market-driven economy. The question remains, however, of what has happened to those who, just a few decades before, experienced pride and power in being part of the proletariat. This book presents an investigation into their lives and memories.

Brings together the works of some of leading China, Taiwan, and Pacific politics specialists analysing a topic of growing importance: China and Taiwan's ever-growing involvement in the South Pacific. This book pinpoints China's involvement in the South Pacific within the context of China's wider foreign policy.

The global financial turmoil, triggered by the US subprime crisis, has resulted in the worst global economic crisis since the 1930s. As the world's third largest economy, China is inevitably affected seriously. This volume offers an assessment of the impact of the crisis and the measures of the Chinese government to overcome the difficulties.

This book consists of papers presented at the International Conference on "China: The Next Decade," organized by the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore in 2007 to commemorate the Institute's 10th anniversary. With eight papers covering China's economic, social and political development, this volume offers a balanced yet in-depth assessment of the challenges facing China in the next decade. Featuring contributions from internationally renowned scholars, this timely volume analyzes key aspects of China's reforms and development, such as the financial reform, international trade, leadership succession, social protests, health care reform and ethnic relationships. It is suitable for China scholars as well as advanced undergraduate and graduate students interested in China's polity, economy and society.

Looks at the need for greater East Asian cooperation and the challenges to this grand endeavor. This volume examines the political and economic relations between Beijing and its neighbors against the backdrop of two trends: the power shift from the West to the East in the aftermath of the American Financial Crisis and the rise of China.

With the KMT regaining power from the DPP on May 20, 2008, both Beijing and Taipei have been adjusting their policies toward each other. This book explores the process of attitude change and policy adjustment on both sides of the Straits since the 1980s and offers policy recommendations.

Examines the issues and challenges of social development faced by societies in Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, with a reference to the major strategies these societies adopt to promote social cohesion and civil harmony in the context of globalization. This book is suitable for those who want to know about societies in Mainland China.

Presents an account of social policy initiatives in China. This book assesses the social impact brought about by the market-oriented changes in China's social policies, and contests the idea whether market-oriented development can result in a more sustainable society.

As China benefits from globalization, what is the impact on China's relations with countries in its neighbouring region when it seeks more oil importation from overseas sources? This book looks at the emergence of China as a major importer and consumer of energy as well as examines contemporary issues within the Chinese oil industry.

Examines the political and conceptual metamorphosis of China's oil industry from self-reliance to internationalization. This book, through the empirical case study of Daqing, the premiere oilfield of the People's Republic of China (PRC) for most of the postwar period, analyses key historical developmental concepts and events.

Provides a discussion of the general impact of WTO membership on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and addresses the political and economic impact on cross-Strait relations of common membership.