image: Cover for "The Chinese Way – Overcoming Challenges for a Shared Future" view more
Credit: World Scientific
Today, we simply cannot afford to repeat the classic historical scenario of conflict between a rising and a declining power, which might prove catastrophic for the entire planet. Yet, at a strategic level, since the beginning of the 2000s and particularly in 2016 — in conjunction with China’s rise as an international economic and political power — the US has adopted an increasingly aggressive Cold War-like posture.
It is more urgent than ever before that everyone deepens their knowledge of the Chinese political system, which is regularly portrayed as being authoritarian, rigid, undemocratic, and so on. If this was true, one wonders how such a closed and authoritarian system, if one were to believe the Western narrative, has managed to obtain the highest level of government satisfaction in the world, according to several American polls; to sign agreements of all kinds in different contexts without ever resorting to military force; to contribute in recent years to 30 per cent of the world’s growth; and, last but not least, to inspire the idea of the Beijing Consensus as an alternative to the Washington Consensus. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), for example, is engendering various emulations around the world, given its concreteness and reasonableness centred on the need to increase geographic interconnectedness as a recipe for peaceful development and cooperation between peoples, with respect for the sovereignty and autonomy of states.
This book aims to communicate to readers in a clear, fluent, and well-documented fashion, the new role that China plays in the geography of world power, evaluating its weight, influence, and impact on future developments. China's ambition and its vision of international affairs can be summed up in Beijing's desire to "build a community of common destiny for mankind". "Those who deal with China understand the West's gaze on the People's Republic has often been dismissive, superficial and distorted. A sort of festival of stereotyped opinions, with value judgments constantly used to highlight the West's alleged superiority vis-à-vis the 'Chinese model'.
Here, an extract from chapter 6 summarizes what the public seldom read about our changing world and China's contribution to a peaceful new world order. This book provides a window for understanding what is often omitted.
"Just as the world was starting to see the light, after two years of pandemic, the Russia–Ukraine conflict once again plunged it into the darkness of a polycrisis that is at once geopolitical, economic and climatic. As economic and cultural walls between countries are raised in the name of a New Cold War, we are once again reminded of the fact that there is no way of achieving global peace other than to commit ourselves every day to building the unity of the human race, by respecting the diversity of all peoples. In this regard, the People’s Republic of China seems to provide us with a unique and effective approach to building peace, through the stabilisation of international relations, the rejection of the New Cold War logic of power blocs and the promotion of multilateralism, dialogue and cooperation. These are the pillars of Beijing’s foreign policy. China, with the extension of New Silk Roads to more than 140 countries, has become the main promoter of inclusive globalisation and the world’s largest economic hub without resorting to military expansionism, wars of invasion, “power bloc” strategies or attempting to impose its own model upon others. Peace is built through cultural exchanges, dialogue and trade".
Contributions by Dr. Shaun Rein (Founding and Managing Director of the China Market Research Group) and Prof. Michael Dunford (Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research) are included. Both experts live in China and are highly recognized for their grasp on Chinese affairs, economic-business and economic-political geography issues.
The Chinese Way is relevant for scholars and practitioners involved in Sinology, economic and political geography, and international relations. General readers will also benefit from the useful insights into China’s role within the global political system.
The Chinese Way – Overcoming Challenges for a Shared Future retails for US$48 / £40 (hardcover) and is also available in electronic formats. To order or know more about the book, visit http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/13230.
###
About the Author
Fabio Massimo Parenti Ph.D. (Geopolitics and Geo-economics) is a Foreign Associate Professor of International Studies (IRs, IPE, Geopolitics) at China Foreign Affairs University, Beijing, and Professor at the Italian International Institute Lorenzo de 'Medici-Marist College, Firenze. He teaches Global Financial Markets, China's Development and Global Shift, Globalization and Social Change, and War and Media. He has taught in Mexico, the US and Morocco. He is a member of EURISPES-BRICS Laboratory, Roma; scientific advisor at Diplomatic International Institute (IDI), Roma, and Earth Charter China think tank, UN. He is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of international academic journals (Area Development and Policy and The Journal of Economic Science: Theory and Practice). He also collaborates with national and international media.
About World Scientific Publishing Co.
http://www.worldscientific.com/World Scientific Publishing is a leading international independent publisher of books and journals for the scholarly, research and professional communities. World Scientific collaborates with prestigious organisations like the Nobel Foundation and US National Academies Press to bring high quality academic and professional content to researchers and academics worldwide. The company publishes about 600 books and over 170 journals in various fields annually. To find out more about World Scientific, please visit www.worldscientific.com.
For more information, contact WSPC Communications at communications@wspc.com.