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Book Review: The Logic of Chinese Politics—Cores, Peripheries and Peaceful Rising by Sabrina Ching Yuen Luk and Peter W. Preston

Will China establish rules of the road, first in Asia and then across the globe? Its ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) is a template and master plan, though this book does not dwell much on this. The book concludes that China pushes for change within the world order, without attempting anything radical. One might add that despite this caution, actions to begin to alter the status quo cannot be ruled out—the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is an example. Another conclusion advanced is that while shifting from a developing country to a great power narrative, China is a ‘fragile great power due to serious external and internal challenges’ (p. 261); ‘it has focused on pursuing its immediate interests and will hesitate to use its rising power status to bolster the global common welfare’ (p. 266) ‘...are we prepared for the coming back of China as one of the few real central powers, and this time at the global level, with profound systemic ramifications?’ (p. 287). The reader is presented with an elegant story on the nature of power, and China’s evolution in different dimensions. For over two centuries, power has resided with the West, with the partial exception of Japan, which for over seven decades has been co-opted into the West. China’s rise alters the game, and challenges assumptions long treated as self-evident truths—such as the notion of ‘global common welfare’ cited above. Much of Africa and Latin America rejoices in this. Even Asia, bracing to deal with an assertive China, seeks benefit in the power shift to this continent. In this fluid, complex situation, India needs its own version of Deng’s taoguang yanghui, that is, keep its head down and focus on nation building. That is my real takeaway.