Strong Borders, Secure Nation: Cooperation and Conflict in China's Territorial Disputes Paperback - 2008

From the rear cover

"This excellent book is the first to systematically examine China's handling of territorial disputes and shows why in many cases, the country has been willing to negotiate and concede. The reasons given are novel and provocative, and challenge conventional wisdom about the relationship between domestic unrest and external aggressiveness. This book will be the gold standard for further work on a vital but understudied topic."--Alastair Iain Johnston, Harvard University

"Fravel uses China, which has had more territories in dispute with neighbors than any other state since World War II, to form and test hypotheses about when states are likely to go to war or cooperate to solve territorial disputes. The result is both the first comprehensive benchmark study of China's behavior along its frontiers and a brilliant contribution to political science."--Chas W. Freeman, Jr., former assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs

"Fravel has given us a compelling and comprehensive account of why China has generally compromised in its territorial disputes with its neighbors rather than resort to force. In the process, he has made significant advances in both international relations theory and Chinese foreign policy."--Robert J. Art, Brandeis University

"Strong Borders, Secure Nation is a significant work of scholarship. M. Taylor Fravel has combined authoritative and extensive research of Chinese documents with sophisticated political science methodologies. The result is both a comprehensive and definitive work on Chinese policy toward border disputes as well as a persuasive theoretical approach to the international politics of territorial conflicts."--Robert S. Ross, Boston College

"A counterintuitive and bracing dose of reality, Fravel's exemplary book manifests contextual nuance derived from plentiful Chinese sources, an elegant argument, and the conceptual rigor valued in contemporary political science. Strong Borders, Secure Nation will be the standard-bearer among studies of China's experience managing territorial disputes."--Alan Wachman, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University

"Tightly framed and carefully reasoned, this excellent book addresses an obvious gap in the study of Chinese foreign policy and national security. I believe that this book will become the benchmark text in the field for years to come."--Allen Carlson, Cornell University