China's Strategic Seapower: The Politics of Force Modernization in the Nuclear Age (Studies in International Security and Ar) [Paperback]

John Lewis (Author), Xue Litai (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1996 | Series: Studies in International Security and Ar

Using major new documentary sources, the authors tell the story of why and how China built its nuclear submarine flotilla and the impact of that development on the nation’s politics, technology, industry, and strategy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This is a landmark work, a pioneering study of China’s policy process in weapons development and acquisition. Making excellent use of recent PRC publications on military and Party history, including biographies and autobiographies, it is also informed by interviews with authoritative Chinese officials. This sophisticated ‘state of the art’ book on Chinese politics should put the United States on notice: fueled by nationalistic aspirations, China is determined to acquire the most advanced military might in the world in as expeditious a fashion as possible.”—Michel Oksenberg, East-West Center

“The authors tell an absorbing and convincing tale of how this technologically backward and politically turbulent country managed to create workable advanced weapon systems.”—Foreign Affairs

“This is the second volume by the authors on China’a strategic weaponry—following China Builds the Bomb. . . . These books constitute landmark studies on the topic, and will be standard references for years to come.”—Choice

“Lewis and Xue have provided us with yet another superb volume . . . another pathfinding examination of the personalities and processes in China’s most secretive policy area—national defense.”—China Review International

“This is a truly landmark study of the People’s Republic of China’s policy-making process in nuclear weapons development and acquisition. The authors vividly and explicitly describe how and why China built its nuclear submarine flotilla and, more importantly assess that development’s impact on the nation’s politics, technology, industry, and strategy.”—American Historical Review

From the Back Cover

“This is a landmark work, a pioneering study of China’s policy process in weapons development and acquisition. Making excellent use of recent PRC publications on military and Party history, including biographies and autobiographies, it is also informed by interviews with authoritative Chinese officials. This sophisticated ‘state of the art’ book on Chinese politics should put the United States on notice: fueled by nationalistic aspirations, China is determined to acquire the most advanced military might in the world in as expeditious a fashion as possible.”—Michel Oksenberg, East-West Center
“The authors tell an absorbing and convincing tale of how this technologically backward and politically turbulent country managed to create workable advanced weapon systems.”—Foreign Affairs

Product Details

• Paperback: 412 pages
• Publisher: Stanford University Press (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804728046
• ISBN-13: 978-0804728041
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,436,169 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.