The rise of China as an economic power has attracted the attention of Western commentators in a big way in the past few years. But the dramatic awakening of the ‘sleeping giant’ has provoked more fear than admiration, with concerns about the instability arising from rapid industrialisation, and its effects on the environment. Can China respond to the significant challenges it faces and continue its phenomenal growth pattern, or do growing numbers of riots and demonstrations signal an imminent descent into chaos? What effect has China’s development had on the rest of the world to date, and how is it likely to influence things in the future?
Dr Kerry Brown, author of Struggling Giant: China in the 21st Century’, and Alan Hudson, Director of Leadership Programmes for China, Oxford University Department for Continuing Education, will be in conversation with Sheila Lewis.
 | Dr Kerry Brown head of Asia programme, Chatham House; formerly at Greater China desk, Foreign Office; author of Ballot Box China: village democracy in the PRC |
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 | Alan Hudson director of leadership and public policy programmes, University of Oxford; moderate middle distance runner |
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| Chair: | |
 | Sheila Lewis director, Volanti Consulting |
| Sheila Lewis director, Volanti Consulting | |
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 | recommended by spiked |
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