In this deeply informed, clear-eyed portrait of China today, renowned Beijing-based journalist Jasper Becker looks at the world`s most populous nation and where it`s headed as it transforms itself into a global economic power. Becker is the ideal guide to the profound changes in China that are already reshaping economic, diplomatic, and military strategies all over the globe. Intertwining in-depth analysis with revealing anecdotal evidence, he addresses every major question. What form will China`s government take? How will communism`s legacy affect modernisation? Can Shanghai`s success with urban capitalism be replicated elsewhere? Will wholesale cultural and economic change be resisted by the millions facing sudden transition from an authoritarian state to a market-driven society? How will the new China cope with pollution, unemployment, and voracious demand for energy?Each chapter examines a specific region and such key local issues as poverty, minority unrest, and official corruption, then places them in the broader context of Chinese society as a whole.Vividly illustrated with photographs that capture the paradox of an ancient culture remaking itself into a dynamic consumer society, ”Dragon Rising” is a wonderfully written, well-rounded, wide-ranging depiction of China`s problems and prospects.