The volume is the attempt to describe China's reform and opening-up under Deng Xiaoping aegis (1978–2018). Using the mixed approaches of political science, international relations, economy, sociology and culture studies (sinology), it attempts to show how the country – starting from political anarchy, economic autarky, backwardness, and a closed society – transformed into a global power centre. The study is supported by an extensive, multi-language literature: both Chinese and Western, with some Central European flavour. The author also utilises his rich personal experience in China (since 1976) and tries to explain and – above all – help readers to understand how the internal Chinese discourse has evolved.
