Beijing Rules: China's Quest for Global Influence

One of the most acclaimed journalists on contemporary China lays bare the country's two-decade quest for global dominance.

For several decades China's ascendancy has been supported by an astonishingly broad and deep portfolio of quiet coercion. Stories of the Chinese Communist Party's authoritarian reach are breathtaking - the gagging of sports stars and huge Western brands; Hollywood self-censorship; infrastructure deals in exchange for political loyalty in multilateral organizations; and of course - communications firms. But these are just the most visible examples.

Beijing Rules exposes the armoury of strategies with which China has exploited Western weakness to position itself as leader in the game of nations: tying market access to political acquiescence; punitive tariffs; online disinformation operations; use of private companies to spy on global users; leveraging vaccines for geopolitical gain; and the crushing of democracy in Hong Kong. With these weapons and dextrous manoeuvrings during the global pandemic, China positioned itself to take its place at the apex of world powers.

Bethany Allen, an internationally recognized investigator into China's covert power, shows Western institutions have bowed to and even enabled Beijing's coercion. As we come reeling out of a global pandemic and eyes are on a new war in Europe, this revealing analysis sounds the alarm about the most significant shift in the new world order, and what we must do to prevent the loss of freedoms we take for granted.

Review

Allen has shown remarkable courage in writing this . . . A disturbing, insightful book about China's hidden, multitiered war - and how the West can fight back -- Kirkus Reviews

If you want to understand how China has grown its influence around the world and why that matters, try Beijing Rules. Allen's smart and deeply reported work poses important questions - and answers many of them too. A must-read! -- Ravi Agrawal, editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine

A revealing, timely, and necessary study of how China uses economic coercion to achieve its geopolitical ends - and how the US and other democracies can fight back -- Ian Bremmer, President and Founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, and bestselling author of THE POWER OF CRISIS

Allen is one of the world's most trusted experts on one of the world's most consequential stories - China's conversion of economic power to hard power. A saga you must understand, from a journalist who takes you there -- Mike Allen, Politico co-founder and Axios co-founder

Excellent . . . reveals an insidious matrix of spying, deception, censorship and repression . . . compelling -- 5 stars, Daily Telegraph

A timely read . . . Chilling . . . Startling . . . A powerful case for more coordinated western intervention -- Guardian

A full picture of the myriad challenges confronting democratic governments in tackling China -- The Wire

An eye-opening chronicle of the multiple ways in which China's Communist party seeks to exert its power abroad -- Financial Times 'Best Business Books of 2023'

Allen's page-turner shows how the CCP has taken its unrivalled success in imposing its power on the Chinese people at home and turned that towards the rest of the world. Allen details meticulously how the Party is stepping up its influence globally . . . For anyone interested in understanding this century-defining phenomenon, Allen's book is a must read -- Justin Bassi, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute

Written with the clarity and authority that reflects Allen's exceptional career producing scoop after scoop on China's international activities, Beijing Rules is the one book on China you need to read this year -- Joanna Chiu, author of CHINA UNBOUND

About the Author

Bethany Allen is the China reporter at Axios. She previously worked as the lead reporter for the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists' China Cables project, and as a reporter and editor at Foreign Policy magazine. In 2020 she received the Robert D. G. Lewis Watchdog Award and was a finalist for the Batten Medal for Courage in Journalism. A fluent Mandarin speaker, she previously lived in China for four years. She now lives in Taiwan.