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China Resurrected: A Modern Geopolitical History
China's rise to superpower is seemingly a modern phenomenon, but it has a long history.
This book follows China's geopolitical transformation on the world stage, from struggling to defend herself against the British in the Opium Wars, to rivalling the United States for supremacy. What started as a response to Europe's colonial influence has gradually become China's quest to take a leading role on the word stage. But how did this happen? And what kind of actor is China as a global great power?
The answers to these questions lie in how China has been shaped by its changing relationships with major world powers over the last two centuries. Arguing that a series of military defeats in the Opium Wars, Boxer Crisis and Japanese occupation led to a deep-rooted national sense of geopolitical vulnerability, van der Putten shows how this imbalance of power has resulted in Chinese distrust and uncertainty, even after it ceased to be prey to imperialist powers.
Tracing China's relations with other major powers over the last 185 years, China Resurrected shows how they have influenced the way in which China itself has become a leading power, and what this means for its relations with the West.
This book follows China's geopolitical transformation on the world stage, from struggling to defend herself against the British in the Opium Wars, to rivalling the United States for supremacy. What started as a response to Europe's colonial influence has gradually become China's quest to take a leading role on the word stage. But how did this happen? And what kind of actor is China as a global great power?
The answers to these questions lie in how China has been shaped by its changing relationships with major world powers over the last two centuries. Arguing that a series of military defeats in the Opium Wars, Boxer Crisis and Japanese occupation led to a deep-rooted national sense of geopolitical vulnerability, van der Putten shows how this imbalance of power has resulted in Chinese distrust and uncertainty, even after it ceased to be prey to imperialist powers.
Tracing China's relations with other major powers over the last 185 years, China Resurrected shows how they have influenced the way in which China itself has become a leading power, and what this means for its relations with the West.
238 pages, Hardcover
Published July 10, 2025
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53 people want to read
About the author
Frans-Paul van der Putten
7 books7 followersFrans-Paul van der Putten is a Dutch historian and analyst/consultant on China and geopolitics.
He is a non-resident senior associate at the Clingendael Institute and the Leiden Asia Centre, and a senior adviser on geopolitics at the China Macro Group. He also is the managing editor of Taiwan Radar, a platform on Substack.
Previously he was editor and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Imperial and Global Interactions 'Itinerario' (2003-2012) and the head of the Clingendael China Centre (2019-2022).
Frans-Paul studied history at Leiden University and has a PhD degree in history from the same university.
He is a non-resident senior associate at the Clingendael Institute and the Leiden Asia Centre, and a senior adviser on geopolitics at the China Macro Group. He also is the managing editor of Taiwan Radar, a platform on Substack.
Previously he was editor and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Imperial and Global Interactions 'Itinerario' (2003-2012) and the head of the Clingendael China Centre (2019-2022).
Frans-Paul studied history at Leiden University and has a PhD degree in history from the same university.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 23, 2026
Love this author! History made accessible through a human interest perspective. Reading this book made me feel very relaxed.
August 29, 2025
With 25 years of on-the-ground experience providing legal support to international companies investing and trading with China, I have witnessed China's ascent from the front lines. But it is crucial to see things in a broader perspective. Frans-Paul van der Putten's new work is a great read for anyone that wants to understand the interrelations between China and the rest of the world.
January 25, 2026
Overall solid and packed with many fascinating bits, but the writing lacked focus. Both the general style and editorial choices kept it from being the engaging read that the content and topic would merit.
September 5, 2025
I found China Resurrected both very engaging and highly informative, written in a clear and accessible style that makes it suitable for experts as well as for the interested general reader.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews