China today bears little resemblance to the country introduced in the first edition of Understanding Contemporary

China, published nearly two decades ago. Even in just the past five years, dramatic changes have occurred under

the leadership of President Xi Jingping.

This new edition of the book reflects those changes, exploring the impact of new domestic policies; China's role

as a behemoth in the world economy; its rapidly modernizing infrastructure; its expanding military presence in the

region; the environmental challenges it confronts; and much more. The result is an accessible, well-grounded look

at the most crucial issues affecting China today.