The Rising Giant's Difficulties and the Solution: Reflections on Democratic Centralism is written for people of Chinese descent all over the globe, those who conduct Chinese Studies, and all those who care about China as a nation. Written as a "white paper" for China's national development, it does not try to avoid being critical about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). However, nothing in the book's content may be interpreted as demand that political power be transferred away from the CCP.

In this book, readers will find answers to questions such as why the CCP chose to handle the Hong Kong issue in the way it did, why President Xi Jinping has been trying to centralise China's political power, and the key issues that may limit China's future development.

Focusing on the CCP's cultural strategies, this book examines the nature and significance of "democratic centralism" as a concept. Using the CCP's own materials -- from the many versions of party history it has authorised and/or allowed to exist, to the speeches, comments of and/or media reports of the nation's political leaders, government officials, academics and public intellectuals -- the book argues that the difficulties faced by the party today are a result of its prolonged emphasis on "democratic centralism".

Readers, from academics to students and members of the general public, will learn from this book how the CCP has been ruling China and why, as well as the positive and negative impacts of its numerous political campaigns. Thanks to this book's analysis, they will further gain a clear understanding of how China as a rising political and economic super power has been received by experts both within and outside of the country.

Erik Chu is an expert in organizational sociology and national development. Having worked in a diverse range of technical and financial fields, he specializes in analysis and implementation of facts as a foundation on top of which contradictions in theoretical frameworks may be identified. ... More