China's Foreign Political and Economic Relations

This balanced and thoughtful book presents a thorough analysis of the dynamics of China's foreign political and economic relations. Sebastian Heilmann and Dirk H. Schmidt consider China's view of the world; its foreign policy decision-making process; its major bilateral relations; and key policy issues such as trade and investment, security, human rights, and climate change. The authors also assess how China's often unconventional and hidden activities underlying its global expansion challenge Western predominance. By explicitly addressing controversies and conflicts and providing rich information and balanced arguments, Heilmann and Schmidt demonstrate that the institutions, procedures, and policies that are shaping Chinese foreign relations are far more complex and fluid than standard IR theory or media reporting suggest.