To borrow from Rudyard Kipling, what do they know of China who only China know? While The Wire’s books column has mostly highlighted new books about the People’s Republic itself, this month’s edition takes a slightly different tack — focusing on China’s relations with countries around its border. This decade will define the alliances and strategies that Asian nations form to deal with — or profit from — China’s growing clout, and having a good understanding of those regional relationships is essential for anyone outside looking to understand contemporary Asia, or do business in it.
Our top pick covers a litany of Southeast Asian nations, while the shortlist encompasses India, Japan, and the Belt and Road Initiative. All highlight China’s challenge of negotiating relations with its neighbors in an era of rising mistrust.
The One to Read
In the Dragon’s Shadow: Southeast Asia in the Chinese Century by Sebastian Strangio
One of the most notable exa
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