Beijing Rules: China´s Quest for Global Influence – Allen Bethany (2024)

Allen has shown remarkable courage in writing this . . . A disturbing, insightful book about China's hidden, multitiered war—and how the West can fight back' Kirkus Reviews The remarkable story of China's two-decade quest for global dominance. For several decades China's ascendancy has been supported by an astonishingly broad and deep portfolio of quiet coercion. Stories of the Chinese Communist Party's authoritarian reach are breathtaking - the gagging of sports stars and huge Western brands; Hollywood self-censorship; infrastructure deals in exchange for political loyalty in multilateral organizations; and of course - communications firms. But these are just the most visible examples. Beijing Rules exposes the armoury of strategies with which China has exploited Western weakness to position itself as leader in the game of nations: tying market access to political acquiescence; punitive tariffs; online disinformation operations; use of private companies to spy on global users; leveraging vaccines for geopolitical gain; and the crushing of democracy in Hong Kong. With these weapons and dextrous manoeuvrings during the global pandemic, China…