China, as a rising global power, has long been a subject of debate among policymakers and scholars. This book offers the most systematic review and critique to date of the contentious discourses surrounding China’s rise and its global impact. It seeks to understand “how China is discussed, depicted, and comprehended in the wake of its emergence as a global power.” A key strength of the work lies in its effort to introduce Chinese voices to balance Western perspectives, particularly those from English-speaking countries. As such, it is essential reading for anyone seeking to grasp China’s ascent as a global power and its significance for the world.
— Professor Zhang Bohui, Professor of Political Science at the Asia-Pacific Research Centre, Lingnan University, Hong Kong

Contrary to the assertions of some Western analysts, China does not seek global hegemony, nor does it pursue international cooperation in a fundamentally different manner from the West. Drawing on extensive scholarly research and his diplomatic experience, Professor Summers critiques several dominant narratives—both Western and Chinese—that attempt to make sense of China’s rapid rise as a major global power. He persuasively argues that China must be understood on its own terms, as a distinct entity embedded within an evolving global order. This makes the book indispensable for observers of China.
— Daniel Bell, Canadian political theorist and Professor of Political Theory at the Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong. He has received the 13th China Book Award for Special Contribution and was named a Cultural Leader by the World Economic Forum. He was the first foreign national to serve as Dean of a political science school on the Chinese mainland (he served as Dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University from 2017 to 2022) and previously held a professorship in the Department of Philosophy at Tsinghua University.

Tim Summers’s book is a profound and timely analysis that transcends the simplistic East–West dichotomy, examining how competing narratives shape both our understanding—and misinterpretation—of China’s rise. Employing insights from Chinese studies, international relations, and critical geopolitics, Summers subjects mainstream frameworks—from “geopolitical threat” to “collaborative governance”—to a meticulous, interdisciplinary critique. Grounded in rigorous scholarship and firsthand experiences in Hong Kong and mainland China, the book challenges assumptions on all sides. It is essential reading for anyone who wishes to better comprehend the complex and contested realities of China’s role in the 21st-century world.
— Christine Loh, Chief Development Strategist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; former Deputy Secretary for the Environment of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2012–2017) and Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (1992–1997 and 1998–2000); recipient of the French National Order of Merit.

Summers moves beyond the black-and-white, binary view that often portrays China as a global power, instead offering a thorough and nuanced analysis of the diverse interpretations of China’s present and future development.
— Shaun Breslin, Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick, UK. He is widely regarded as one of the leading British scholars specializing in Chinese politics and economics, globalization, regionalism, governance, and the international political economy.

★ Dr. Xiaten En, Assistant Professor at the Centre for China Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, former Consul General of the British Consulate-General in Chongqing, and author of works such as “Hong Kong in China” and “Yunnan: China’s Bridgehead to Asia,” presents his brand-new publication!
★ Professor Zhang Yongjin, a leading figure in the “English School” of contemporary international relations theory, a renowned scholar of China, East Asia, and international affairs, and a professor of international politics, serves as the series editor for this book!
★ Highly recommended by Professor Zhang Bohui, Professor of Political Science at the Asia-Pacific Research Centre of Lingnan University in Hong Kong; Professor Bei Danning, Professor of Political Theory at the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong, recipient of the Special Contribution Award for Chinese Books, and the first foreign national to hold the post of Dean of a political science faculty on the Chinese mainland; as well as Ms. Lu Gonghui, Chief Development Strategist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and former Deputy Secretary for the Environment of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region!
★ An important work that helps the Western world understand China’s global role in an objective, rational, and scientific manner, enabling readers to grasp the part China plays in today’s rapidly changing international political landscape.

This insightful work examines the evolution of Western perceptions of China, juxtaposing mainstream Western narratives with the Chinese perspective. It underscores the complexity of these discourses and, from a critical vantage point, elucidates three prevailing interpretations of China’s rise: the resurgence of geopolitics, the challenge to the liberal order, and the prospects for cooperative governance.
By integrating Chinese studies, international relations, and global political economy, the book explores the politics of knowledge production, thereby offering a nuanced understanding of China. It argues that China should be understood as a distinctive yet interconnected global power, whose development reflects a dialectical relationship with the existing international system.

Xia Tian’en (Tim Summers)
Dr. Xia Tian’en is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for China Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a member of the university’s Policy Research and Global China programs. He also serves as the Program Director of the Master’s program in Chinese Studies at the China Cultural Center. He holds a Ph.D. in Chinese Studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Dr. Xia’s teaching and research focus on contemporary China’s international relations and political economy. He is the author of three books: “China’s Hong Kong: The Politics of a Global City” (Agenda Publishing, 2019 and 2021), “China’s Regions in the Age of Globalization” (Routledge, 2018), and “Yunnan—China’s Bridgehead to Asia” (Cambridge: Chandos Publishing, 2013), as well as numerous journal articles on topics such as the Belt and Road Initiative, Sino-British relations, and maritime politics. His research has been published in many academic journals, including Third World Quarterly, Pacific Review, International Affairs, Territory, Politics, Governance, China Information, Eurasian Geography and Economics, Journal of Contemporary China, and Issues & Studies, among others. He has been interviewed on multiple occasions by Chinese media outlets, including the China Social Sciences Net–China Social Sciences Daily, China Daily, Daily Economic News, and Guangming Online. He has also authored several policy research papers for the Chatham House and the Lau China Institute at King’s College London.
Before pursuing his doctoral studies, Dr. Xia served for thirteen years as a British diplomat, including a stint as Consul General of the British Consulate-General in Chongqing from 2004 to 2007, and five years in Hong Kong from 1996 to 2001. He speaks Cantonese and Mandarin and currently resides in Hong Kong.

Recent research projects include:
2020: “A Community with a Shared Future”: Ideological Debates and Innovation in China’s Global Vision, direct research grant
2018: China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Provincial-Level Policy Responses in Yunnan, direct research grant

Recent participation in Chinese forums, dialogues, conferences, and related events includes:
◎ In October 2023, the Eighth China Global Think Tank Innovation Annual Conference, co-hosted by the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), was successfully held in Beijing. Dr. Xia was invited to attend and delivered a speech titled “Rather than replacing opposing narratives with one another, we should promote the diversification of existing narratives.”
◎ In 2024, Dr. Xia commented on news fabrication and smear campaigns against China perpetrated by British media outlets led by the BBC. Joint research conducted by the Lau China Institute at King’s College London and the Chinese University of Hong Kong revealed that between 2020 and 2023, mainstream British media—including the BBC, The Guardian, the Financial Times, and The Daily Telegraph—published over a thousand reports, with virtually no positive coverage; the vast majority of these negative stories focused on political issues, and those concerning China constituted a significant share. In light of this, Dr. Xia pointed out, “British media pay uneven attention to political, economic, social, and cultural issues, leaving readers unable to form a comprehensive, multifaceted, and authentic understanding of China.”
◎ On March 23–24, 2025, the China Development Forum 2025 Annual Meeting was held in Beijing. This year’s forum included closed-door sessions for Chinese and foreign entrepreneurs and scholars, with more than a hundred official representatives from international organizations and Fortune 500 multinational corporations attending. During the event, Dr. Xia granted an exclusive interview to a reporter from the Daily Economic News.
◎ On July 9, 2025, the Eleventh Nishan World Civilization Forum will be held in Qufu, Shandong Province. Having lived in Hong Kong for many years, the British scholar Dr. Xia is particularly fond of the traditional Chinese concept of “harmony without uniformity.” Spanning both diplomatic practice and academic research, he possesses a deep, firsthand appreciation for Eastern cultural values, which has led him to consider how Chinese wisdom might help resolve global governance challenges. In a conversation with Economic Observer, Dr. Xia suggested that the diplomatic philosophy of “harmony without uniformity” could offer an international engagement framework distinct from Western models—one that does not seek to change others but emphasizes coexistence in diversity and mutual adaptation. This insight aligns closely with the civilizational vision championed by the Nishan World Civilization Forum: appreciating one’s own beauty while respecting that of others, and seeking harmony amid differences.

Preface

1. Introduction
2. The Theory of China’s Rise
3. The Return of Geopolitics
4. Challenging the Liberal Order
5. Collaborative Governance
6. Vision and Action
7. Conclusion