This book looks at how information and communication technology and e-government influences power relations in public administration in China. It highlights the role of technology in combating corruption, and clarifies the interplay between ideas, institutions and technologies in shaping the foundation for organisational change. Using fieldwork based case studies, the book provides an incisive view into the working processes of the Chinese administration previously inaccessible to research. It challenges the high expectations for the transformative potential of information technology, and...

How will China develop under the new leadership of Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang? This is a key question for both China and the wider world. This book presents a comprehensive overview of the key areas and issues, assessing how things are likely to develop under the new leadership. It considers the economy, trade, politics, and demographics; appraises the leadership, both at the national and provincial levels; and discusses potential flashpoints in China's relationship with its neighbors and China's emerging role in world politics. The book emphasizes the great uncertainties surrounding the...

This book examines the various stages of China's development, in the economic, social, and political fields, relating theories and models of development to what is actually occurring in China, and discussing how China's development is likely to progress going forward. It argues that China's modernization hitherto can be characterized as "authoritarian development" - a fusion of mixed economic institutions of varying types of ownership with social stability and political cohesiveness - and that the present phase, where more emphasis is being given to social issues, is likely to lead on to a...

In place of a distributive justice perspective which focuses simply on equal access to universities, this book presents a broader understanding of the relationship between Chinese higher education and economic and social change. The necessity for research on the place of universities in contemporary Chinese society may be seen from current debates about and policy towards issues of educational inequality at Chinese universities. Many questions arise as a consequence: What are the limitations of neo-liberalism in higher education policy and what are the alternatives? How has the Chinese...

Many books on government in China either simply describe the political institutions or else focus, critically, on the weaknesses of the system, such as corruption or the absence of Western-style democracy. This book, on the other hand, takes a more balanced, more positive view. This view is based on a study of China s institutions for coping with critical crises in governance since 1978. It argues that, although the party-state is determined to preserve itself, China's governance model has changed for the better in many respects in recent years. These changes, discussed fully in the book,...

Many books on government in China either simply describe the political institutions or else focus, critically, on the weaknesses of the system, such as corruption or the absence of Western-style democracy. This book, on the other hand, takes a more balanced, more positive view. This view is based on a study of China s institutions for coping with critical crises in governance since 1978. It argues that, although the party-state is determined to preserve itself, China's governance model has changed for the better in many respects in recent years. These changes, discussed fully in the book,...

China's nuclear capability is crucial for the balance of power in East Asia and the world. As this book reveals, there have been important changes recently in China's nuclear posture: the movement from a minimum deterrence posture toward a medium nuclear power posture; the pursuit of space warfare and missile defence capabilities; and, most significantly, the omission in the 2013 Defence White Paper of any reference to the principle of No First Use. Employing the insights of structural realism, this book argues that the imperatives of an anarchic international order have been the central...

As China moved from a planned to a market economy many people expected that China's political system would similarly move from authoritarianism to democracy. It is now clear, however, that political liberalisation does not necessarily follow economic liberalisation. This book explores this apparent contradiction, presenting many new perspectives and new thinking on the subject. It considers the path of transition in China historically, makes comparisons with other countries and examines how political culture and the political outlook in China are developing at present. A key feature of the...

This book examines how since about 2008 the economy of Taiwan has become ever more deeply integrated into the economy of China. It goes beyond a consideration of trade and investment flows, and discusses also the large population flows, the growing integration of the two financial systems and the nature of the deep economic integration at the industry and firm level. It considers the impact of growing economic integration on society and politics, assesses how China-Taiwan economic integration is affecting the East Asian region more widely, and explores the implications for international...

Especially since the 2003 SARS crisis, China s healthcare system has become a growing source of concern, both for citizens and the Chinese government. China s once praised public health services have deteriorated into a system driven by economic constraints, in which poor people often fail to get access, and middle-income households risk to be dragged into poverty by the rising costs of care. The New Rural Co-operative Medical System (NRCMS) was introduced to counter these tendencies and constitutes the main system of public health insurance in China today. This book outlines the nature of...