China's Future

China's future is arguably the most consequential question in global affairs. Having enjoyed unprecedented levels of growth, China is at a critical juncture in the development of its economy, society, polity, national security and international relations. The direction the nation takes at this crossroads will determine whether it stumbles and ultimately stalls or whether it continues to develop and prosper. Will China be successful in implementing a new wave of transformational reforms that could last decades and make the country the world s leading superpower by 2025? Or will the PRC shy away from the drastic changes required and risk stagnation or even regime collapse? Or will China instead emerge as a hard, authoritarian and aggressive superstate? In this new book, David Shambaugh, one of the world s leading Sinologists, argues that these potential pathways are all possibilities - but they depend on key decisions yet to be made by China's leaders, different institutions and groups in Chinese society, as well as being shaped by other nations. Drawing on four decades of experience studying and visiting China, Shambaugh assesses these challenges and their implications, offering a stimulating and thoughtful study of China's future for all those seeking to understand the country's likely trajectory over the coming decade and beyond.