ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book argues that reform policies in the political system can be understood only if one recognizes that at the end of the Maoist era the country faced a severe political crisis. It outlines the most important policy changes aimed at reform. One important move was the decision to end China's isolation and expand foreign economic relations–by developing international trade, importing technology, promoting exports, training Chinese in the West, borrowing abroad, encouraging foreign investments in China, and establishing special economic zones in several sectors to stimulate trade and investment. The book focuses on military modernization as one of China's "Four Modernizations," rather than on the changing political and economic roles of the People's Liberation Army. In China, although the military establishment has frequently played extremely important political and social roles, the country's ideal has been rule by an educated elite.
