In 1949, the Chinese people emerged victorious after decades of struggle, defeating Western imperialism and a weakened empire to put power in the hands of the masses. The triumph of the Chinese Revolution was a turning point in history—but the true challenge was just beginning.

China and the World follows the history of China’s foreign policy as it forged a path of socialist construction. Professor Ken Hammond illuminates how China has moved through phases in an ever-changing political landscape: positioning itself through its relationships between the capitalist US and the socialist Soviet Union camps; exploring reform and opening within the global capitalist system; and taking a stronger position in global affairs as the largest economy in the world today. But as China offers an alternative to the exploitation of US imperialism, its position as a global power has also made it the target of a US-led new Cold War. Understanding China’s relationships to the world is essential to understanding what is next for the global stage.