‘China Under Xi Jinping: A New Assessment’ is one of the first scholarly books on Xi’s China during the Pandemic, which contains several features that are unmatched by existing scholarship. First, all the authors have studied and taught Chinese and American history or politics in both China and the United States for decades. They accordingly are quite familiar with and possess deep understandings of the history, politics, ideology, and society in both countries and therefore their research would be more balanced and nuanced if not more profound than that of many western or China-based students. Second, most authors are historians who examine Xi Jinping’s China and China’s relationship with the West from a motley crew of historical backdrops and perspectives. Their probe into the historical trajectory, precedents, causes, and problems of Xi’s policies and intentions helps readers have a better sense of what Xi and his regime could do in the future. Third, most authors are established and internationally renowned scholars in their respective fields. The last feature of this book is that it will be one of the first studies spanning from Xi Jinping’s rise to power in the early 2000s to the pandemic era and beyond. The authors have kept a close eye on the latest developments and sources to analyze and compare Xi’ policies as well as his relations with the West before and after the Pandemic.
