The Chinese state has been the subject of fierce debates since reformers and revolutionaries first fought to redefine it at the end of the Qing dynasty. After the 1912 Revolution, when the idea of “empire” gave way to that of “nation-state,” the Chinese people sought a modern identity, re-designed their governance system and re-wrote their history. Revolution became the source of the legitimacy that the new leaders defended in a world based on state sovereignty. They soon found the task of reconciling their republic with the political culture they inherited extraordinarily difficult. They now sense that their state is neither an empire nor a nation-state and seek to renew the Chinese state through a civilisation of industry and science fused with the best of their heritage.

Chinese statehood will also be shaped by the country’s relations with its neighbours, the way its leaders deal with global issues of social justice, its attitudes towards culture and identity among all varieties of Chinese peoples, and the deep sense of history that guides state formation.

The author probes into the Chinese perception of its place in world history, and examines the unique features that propel China onto its modern global trajectory. By bringing these themes together, he depicts the travails of renewal that the Chinese have to face and betters our understanding of China’s position in today’s interconnected world.