China and Globalization

This open access book consists of essays written by Kishore Mahbubani to explore the challenges and dilemmas faced by the West and Asia in an increasingly interdependent world village and intensifying geopolitical competition. 

The contents cover four parts: Part One The End of the Era of Western Domination. The major strategic error that the West is now making is to refuse to accept this reality. The West needs to learn how to act strategically in a world where they are no longer the number 1. Part Two The Return of Asia. From the years 1 to 1820, the largest economies in the world were Asian. After 1820 and the rise of the West, however, great Asian civilizations like China and India were dominated and humiliated. The twenty-first century will see the return of Asia to the center of the world stage. Part Three The Peaceful Rise of China. The shift in the balance of power to the East has been most pronounced in the rise of China. While this rise has been peaceful, many in the West have responded with considerable concern over the influence China will have on the world order. Part Four Globalization, Multilateralism and Cooperation. Many of the world’s pressing issues, such as COVID-19 and climate change, are global issues and will require global cooperation to deal with. In short, human beings now live in a global village. States must work with each other, and we need a world order that enables and facilitates cooperation in our global village.

Globalization is an irresistible force. Given the high stakes at hand – for stability, continued growth, and the future of our planet – it is more important than ever that China gain a deeper understanding of the rest of the world, and that the rest of the world also comes to a clearer understanding of China.

This book focuses on globalization and China’s evolving role in the world, offering unique perspectives on a remarkable period, which saw the global landscape reshaped by China’s continued rise, intensifying great power competition, and a deadly  pandemic.

These insights are useful for academics, policymakers, students, and anyone trying to deepen their understanding of China’s development and role in making globalization work for our multipolar world.

This open access book consists of essays selected from Joseph S. Nye, Jr.’s last three decades of writing and illustrate a variety of perspectives on the nature of power, the role of the United States in the world and US-China relations. Through this collection, it is hoped that readers will gain a better understanding of today’s global environment and find that while great power competition may be inevitable in a world as centers of power shift, cooperating to address transnational challenges can be a positive sum game.

The contents of this book are divided into four main parts. Part One discusses the origins and political progress of the concept of “Soft Power”. Part Two explores soft power in the American experience, its sources and interaction with US foreign policy, as well as its ebb and flow in the age of Obama, Trump and Biden. Part Three examines the rise of and the opportunities and difficulties for Chinese soft power, focusing on China’s investment in soft power andhow this demonstrates its commitment to a peaceful rise. However, it also addresses the question of how can China get “smart” on how it uses soft power. Part Four provides a bird’s-eye view of power shifts in the 21st century and the interactions between the US as an established power and China as a rising power, while also reassuring readers that Thucydidean fears are unnecessary and a Cold War is avoidable. Both countries have to realize that some forms of power must be exercised with others, not over others, the development of soft power need not be a zero-sum game. Ultimately, the US-China relationship is a “cooperative rivalry” where a successful strategy of “smart competition” is necessary and cooperation on transnational challenges like climate change, pandemics, cyberterrorism and nuclear proliferation, will serve to benefit not only China and the US, but the world as a whole.

This is an open access book.

As the world continues to recover from the fear and uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new set of challenges like increased geopolitical tensions and climate change have become increasingly prominent. This open access book, which contains the views of ambassadors to Beijing on topics ranging from bilateral relations to potential cooperation, global development and even more of the most immediate issues, aims to help readers make sense of our changing world and China’s role in it.

 Building on the success of our previous volume China and the World in a Changing Context: Perspectives from Ambassadors to China, the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) has invited 27 ambassadors to examine China’s role in this context of constant flux, focusing specifically on China’s perspective, including its trade and investment ties with other countries, as well as its role in multilateral regional relations and global governance.

 These diplomatic envoys from countries around the world serve as pivotal contact points between nations across a wide range of fields, from economics and culture to health and the environment. Their perspectives, representing both developing and industrialized countries, are both invaluable and illuminating—not only in conveying the views and experiences of their own country, but also for their insights into global affairs and China’s development.

 It is our hope that the views expressed in this volume will inspire even more discussion on the next best step to take in finding solutions to the problems we face, and in particular how China can use its own experience and wisdom to better contribute and engage with the world in finding solutions together. This book provides a wealth of perspective and insight that we hope will benefit not only academics and policy makers, but also the private sector and individuals. 

This open access book explores the ‘polycrisis’ currently affecting nearly all nations by exploring key themes such as multilateralism and globalization from the perspective of think tanks from nearly every continent, searching for various solutions to the ills that currently plague the world and a way to create a future in which everyone benefits.

As China’s preeminent non-governmental think tank, the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) has invited 30 leading figures from the global think tank community to sift through the myriad layers of multilateralism and global governance and provide a contextual analysis of major themes both from a theoretical and practical perspective, focusing on China in detail, but also examining the world as a whole.

Think tanks are essential in analyzing current trends and providing potential solutions that aid governments, international organizations and business in finding solutions that are beneficial to all. As a key source of innovative ideas, they have become even more valuable today as the pace of change accelerates, geopolitical complexity increases and the world has to deal with global crises that no country can address on their own.

A common, central theme through all of the 25 essays in this book is the need for a more universal, inclusive and multilateral approach to reforming global governance. It is our hope that the views of the experts from think tanks and other non-governmental organizations in this compilation will provide valuable insights to help heal the gaps in our fragmented world.

This open access book draws on the insights and wisdom of representatives from a wide range of international organizations with a presence in China, leveraging their rich experience in their respective fields as well as their unique understanding of China’s development and its role in the world. In a world of increased tension between governments and a rise in regionalism, globally positioned non-governmental international organizations are key to keeping the lines of communication open. In addition to the United Nations and its affiliate organizations, a host of international organizations are ensuring that the world’s most pressing issues, in areas ranging from economics to education, are being discussed.

This new book focuses on the latest trends in four major areas—global governance, trade and economics, science and technology, and culture and exchange—providing the reader with information on the latest developments in these areas with a special focus on China and its relevant contributions. It is hoped that this book will inspire deeper discussion and consideration of the issues we face as a global community and how non-governmental entities can play a stabilizing role in global communication and in exploring solutions to common challenges.

This book argues that the growing and seemingly unstoppable centralization of capital undermines national democracies, fuels wars, destroys the environment, and, tragically, exacerbates global hunger. In an era of overwhelming confusion, this book seeks to bring clarity by relying on empirical data and the insights of intellectuals from diverse and pluralistic schools of thought. These thinkers, often overlooked by the mainstream, remain unaligned with specific interest groups and offer critical, honest, and deeply human perspectives on the world. The book’s central goal is to place the theme of peace at the forefront of public debate, demonstrating that movements for environmental and social justice are fundamentally part of the same struggle for human survival.

This book situates current events within their historical context and a broader historical continuum. It acknowledges that today’s unfolding polycrisis is deeply rooted in global politics over the past half-century, with origins that trace back to early industrialization and colonization—key processes that established the West as a global hegemon. By offering this historical perspective, the book directly challenges dominant public narratives, which often frame contemporary crises as isolated, immediate events disconnected from their historical roots.