Dragon Rising: An Inside Look At China Today
By Jasper Becker, National Geographic, October 17 2006, 264 pages

With 21 years as a foreign correspondent behind him, 14 of them based in Beijing, Becker has a wealth of experience and knowledge to draw upon in this in-depth analysis of one of the world's fastest changing countries. In great detail, he addresses China's future impact on the world's economic and political affairs as well as its significant effect on global energy demands and raw materials. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific region focusing on key concerns such as poverty, official corruption and minority unrest, and Becker reveals how these local problems fit into China's society as a whole. He also looks at how the government is dealing with the economic, diplomatic and strategic military issues caused by China's fast and furious transition to becoming a modern world power. Dragon Rising includes personal anecdotes, vivid photographs and enlightening facts and figures making it an informative, dynamic and enjoyable read.

The Coming China Wars: Where They Will Be Fought and How They Can Be Won
By Peter Navarro, Financial Times Prentice Hall, October 19 2006, 288 pages

China has been on the fast track to significant economic development for several years, but as the title of Navarro's latest book suggests, this growth has come at a price. The Coming China Wars is a loud wake-up call to China's potential internal and international conflicts; environmental degradation in the light of its aggressive economic expansion, an ageing population which lacks pension support, rising private health care expenses, widespread peasant unrest - Navarro explores all these issues and more. He touches on the global implications of China's thirst for oil and its shocking role in the international drug trade. China has abundant natural and human resources and a strong determination to succeed as a key global player, but Navarro highlights the major "wars" that it still has to win. His humourously titled chapters 'China's Counterfeit Economy and Not-so-Swashbuckling Pirates'; 'Killing Us (and Them Softly) With Their Coal' and his energetic and dynamic style make this an entertaining and highly revealing read, ideal for those who want to discover the real story behind China's remarkable economic escalation.