Description
Book SynopsisIn an act of totally unnecessary and wanton destruction, British forces in China during the Second Opium War (1856-1860) looted and destroyed much of the Old Imperial Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) including three imperial gardens and hundreds of halls, pavilions, and temples stock full of ancient artwork, antiquities, and literary works. More than a hundred years later, President Xi Jinping (2013- ) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) proclaimed the “rejuvenation” of the Chinese nation with the economic and especially military power to prevent any such recurrence of “national humiliation.” Though not yet a superpower equal in global stature to the United States, the PRC is undoubtedly poised to become the equal if not the superior power in the Asia-Pacific region expanding its territorial claims in the South China Sea and asserting undisputed economic dominance. With government, business, and academic leaders debating how regional and global powers should respond to a rising China. Historical Dictionary of Chinese Foreign Affairs contains a chronology, an introduction, a glossary, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 300 cross-referenced entries on major events, national institutions, foreign nations, and personages impacting Chinese foreign affairs along with the many institutions of the post-World War II international order that the PRC has engaged especially since the 1970s. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Chinese foreign affairs.
Trade ReviewThe rise of China in economic power and international influence makes the Historical Dictionary of Chinese Foreign Affairs a timely resource for academic institutions and government organizations. The book comprises an informative introduction, an extremely detailed chronology organized into seven time periods, and a main dictionary section consisting of nearly 380 alphabetically arranged and cross-referenced entries. Its coverage expands from the second century BCE to the present, with a focus on the People’s Republic of China since its establishment in 1949 (especially after the Cultural Revolution from 1978 to 2018). The main entries consist of notable Chinese and foreign leaders relevant to Chinese foreign affairs, historical events, politics, social issues, national institutions, and major policies. The extensive bibliography, arranged topically in ten subject areas for easy access, covers publications by research institutes, universities, and commercial outlets and a listing of major journals, newspapers, and websites accessible on the internet. A helpful glossary and two appendixes on major leaders of the PRC and US complete the volume. The title is a valuable contribution to China and East Asian studies and is useful for the study of international affairs. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty and professionals. * CHOICE *
