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Losing the New China: A Story of American Commerce, Desire, and Betrayal
This book reveals how and why U.S. corporations helped replace the Goddess of Democracy that once stood in Tiananmen Square with the Gods of Mammon and Mars that dominate China today.
270 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2003
67 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 1, 2019
A fascinating peek behind the curtain of the American business community's activities in Beijing during the 1990s and early 2000s. An honest, and at times shocking, record of the work and lifestyle of American businesspeople, and of the many different hats that they had to wear to deal with the contradictions of operating in the New China.
The book discusses the many ways in which American corporations adapted, compromised and ultimately yielded to pressures to conform to the Chinese system and to the Party's will.
Particularly interesting is the chapter on the early days of the Great Firewall, which describes the complicity of American companies in developing and establishing systems for state surveillance, and their role in legitimising the permanent role of censorship in China.
If state capitalism is 'socialism with Chinese characteristics,' then these are 'American companies taking on Chinese characteristics'. An interesting and well-written depiction of Sino-American business relations, and much more.
The book discusses the many ways in which American corporations adapted, compromised and ultimately yielded to pressures to conform to the Chinese system and to the Party's will.
Particularly interesting is the chapter on the early days of the Great Firewall, which describes the complicity of American companies in developing and establishing systems for state surveillance, and their role in legitimising the permanent role of censorship in China.
If state capitalism is 'socialism with Chinese characteristics,' then these are 'American companies taking on Chinese characteristics'. An interesting and well-written depiction of Sino-American business relations, and much more.
November 24, 2013
This has to be one of the best and most important books I have ever read. A reviewer on Amazon calls it a sad book for a sad China but the real horror here for me is that foreign companies are complicit in assisting the CCP with building the GFW. I was already cynical about corporations. It is one thing to know most if not all don’t care about anything but the bottom line but quite another to see such a concrete example of this callous behavior.
China isn’t becoming more like the US, but rather the opposite. I’m sad for us both.
There is so much more in this book. It is a must read for anyone interested in China or business. I look forward to Gutmann's new book on Falun Gong.
China isn’t becoming more like the US, but rather the opposite. I’m sad for us both.
There is so much more in this book. It is a must read for anyone interested in China or business. I look forward to Gutmann's new book on Falun Gong.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews