As China’s political and economic development comes under closer scrutiny, this Dictionary will prove invaluable to anyone with an interest in contemporary China. As well as being indispensable to students and academics of political science, economics, history and Asian studies, it will be of use to government officials, business people and media professionals with current or future connections in the region. The unfolding of the politics and the economy of China (the world’s most populous country, with the fastest growing economy in the world over the last twenty years) has implications not only for the Asia Pacific region but for the rest of the world. Within an overall political framework, the Dictionary addresses these implications and looks at the relevant economic, social, cultural and foreign relations issues. The main topics covered by the Dictionary are: * major political processes and events * key issues in domestic policy * China’s evolving foreign policy environment * key political personalities * major political institutions and groupings * important aspects of the legal system. In addition to the alphabetical entries, the book has eight introductory essays on subjects such as the history of the PRC, its political and economic development, its peoples and its international relations (including Taiwan and Overseas Chinese). A preface addresses the implications of the recent handover by the British government of Hong Kong. Written in a clear and accessible style, the Dictionary will be a valuable and extensive resource for anybody seeking reliable and relevant information about the politics of contemporary China. An analytical bibliography points readers in the direction of up-to-date further reading material on all the topics covered. Bill Brugger Flinders University; Anita Chan Australian National University; Gerald Chan Victoria University of Wellington; Jae Ho Chung Seoul National University; John