Both the Chinese and British are historically known for their diplomatic subtlety and market sense. How did they deal with each other in political and business environment vastly trnasformed by social revolution and cold war, such as during the early years of the People's Republic of China?. Indeed, many of the issues confronting China and Britain in the 1990s have their root cause in the turbulent events of the 1950s, when old tradition collapsed, hostility broke out in Korea and subsided, embargoes came, business empires ...
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Both the Chinese and British are historically known for their diplomatic subtlety and market sense. How did they deal with each other in political and business environment vastly trnasformed by social revolution and cold war, such as during the early years of the People's Republic of China?. Indeed, many of the issues confronting China and Britain in the 1990s have their root cause in the turbulent events of the 1950s, when old tradition collapsed, hostility broke out in Korea and subsided, embargoes came, business empires wnet, and new trade patterns emerged. Although new material has become available in recent years, few books have been publishes - and none written from a contemporary Chinese perspective - on the interplay of those events, and the unique experience of the British diplomatic and commercial community in China. This book begins by bringing the historical legacy of British investment and trading activities in China right to the eve of the revolution in 1949. It proceeds to examine how the new Chinese leadership set out to change the entire political framework within which British interests in China were compelled to operate. It then takes a look at the strategic considerations of the two governments in formulating their policies towards each other, touching on their first diplomatic encounter over the "Amethyst" incident, their diplomatic recognition, participation in the Korean War, and alliance relations with the super-powers. It, in particular, focuses on how official attitudes spilled over into bilateral trade and affected the fate of private British interests in China. The book goes into details on such topics as the Chinese government's industrial and commercial policies as they affected British firms, official requisitions of commercial properties held in each other's hands, Britain's role in the Western embargo against China, the retreat of British firms from China, and the revival of trade after a settlement in Korea. The ever-present factors of East-West politics are duly identified and analysed. Policies rather than trade statistics are the author's major interest, and as such provide some useful material for a conceptualization of more realistic and rational relations among nations with different political, social and economic backgrounds - which is relevant today.
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Seller's Description:
Almost Fine in Almost Fine jacket. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. Very slight rubbing to bottom and top edges of spine: neatly written owner's name to top edge of fep. 257 pages including note and references, appendix, bibliography and index to rear. This text brings the historical legacy of British trading in China right up to the eve of the 1949 revolution: it then examines how the Chinese leadership set out to change the entire political framework within which British interests in China were compelled to operate and trade with China and the strategic issues for both states, the Amethyst incident, diplomatic recognition, difficulties of the Korean war and super power relations in 1950s.
