Author Description

For the past several decades, China has been transforming itself from an isolated and backward agrarian society into an economic superpower with global interests and responsibilities. Over 300 million Chinese have been lifted out of poverty, and China now enjoys the fastest growing and third largest economy on Earth. Not surprisingly, numerous changes in China's foreign relations have accompanied the astounding transformations in the country's domestic politics and society. Perhaps most surprising to some observers is Beijing's aggressive foray into the so-called developing world. This coedited book focuses on China's increasing engagement with many of the less developed countries---particularly those in Africa. Latin America. Southeast Asia. Central Asia, and the Middle East---and explores the current and future trends in Beijing's foreign relations. The old and hackneyed call for revolutionary struggle and world revolution has been consigned to the dustbin of history. In its --