China has achieved significant socio-economic progress and has become a key player on the international stage after several decades of open-door and reform policy.

Looking beyond China's transformation, this book focusses on the theme of governance which is widely regarded as the next most critical element to ensure that China's growth remains sustainable.

Today, China is confronted with a host of pressing challenges that call for urgent attention.

These include the need to rebalance and restructure the economy, the widening income gaps, the poor integration of migrant populations in the urban areas, insufficient public housing and healthcare coverage, the seeming lack of political reforms and the degree of environmental degradation.

In the foreign policy arena, China is likewise under pressure to do more to address global concerns while not appearing to be overly aggressive.

The next steps that China takes would have a great deal to do with governance, in terms of how it tackles or fails to address the myriad of challenges, both domestic and foreign.

China: Development and Governance, with 57 short chapters in total, is based on up-to-date scholarly research written in a readable and concise style.

Besides China's domestic developments, it also covers China's external relations with the United States, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

Non-specialists, in particular, should find this volume accessible and useful in keeping up with fast-changing developments in East Asia.