The core of this dictionary by Sutter comprises 500-plus short and medium-length entries on significant concepts, institutions, people, places, and events in the foreign affairs of the People's Republic of China. Although a small number of entries deal with Chinese history before 1949, most of the content concerns events since the Chinese Communist Party took control of the Chinese mainland. Chinese relations with practically every part of the world garner some coverage, but relations with the US, tensions with Taiwan, and the Chinese government's foreign policy establishment attract most of Sutter's attention. The book begins with a chronology and concise survey of China's foreign relations, and closes with a substantial bibliography and bibliographic essay. The entries are very clear but tend to be basic, making the dictionary most appropriate for undergraduates engaging in their first forays into the subject. ... Recommended.

Choice Reviews

The author is well qualified with a broad history background and presents concepts relevant to the country. This book would be extremely important for anybody that is working in the Chinese foreign policy arena and would also be interesting to business people setting up branches in China. In fact, it would be helpful to people who are going to travel in China. It should be in all libraries that have an international focus.

American Reference Books Annual

Among all the nations of the world, China possesses the greatest population, the largest armed forces, and (for the present) the second-largest economy. These facts alone would be enough to oblige all students of international affairs to take an interest in China, and therefore to justify many libraries in purchasing this informative dictionary.

Reference Reviews