That's also the story that interests him most in Understanding China, a series of 22 books in both Chinese and English launched on December 16, 2018.

"China can genuinely say that it leads the world in poverty alleviation both in terms of its strategy and also in terms of its projects. I think from an international perspective, the world has a lot to learn from China about its poverty alleviation program," said Ferguson, who is also one of the editors of the series.

Chronicling change

The series, describing the dramatic changes in China in recent decades, was launched on the sidelines of the third Understanding China conference in Beijing. It is a collaboration between the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy (CIIDS), a Chinese think tank, and the China International Publishing Group (CIPG), a Chinese media conglomerate.

CIPG Vice President Lu Cairong said he hopes the series will become an effective new window for other countries to get to know China.

"It focuses on the measures and achievements of China's reform and opening up, especially national governance experiences since the 18th Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era," Hu Kaimin, Deputy Editor in Chief of the Foreign Languages Press (FLP), told Beijing Review. The FLP, a subsidiary of CIPG, is responsible for translating and publishing the series.

"We invited leading experts in specific fields who are influential both at home and abroad to author the books," he added. For instance, the book China in My Eyes is by Yohei Kono, former Speaker of Japan's House of Representatives. Another one, China at Your Fingertips—Mobile Internet and Social Shifts in a Developing Power, which describes how the rise of the mobile Internet is connecting and empowering China, is by Ma Huateng, Chairman and CEO of Tencent Group, the Internet-based technology and cultural enterprise.

The series covers a wide range of topics, from China's economic development, the mobile Internet and green development to how the CPC trains its officials.

Bai Chunli, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was responsible for a book in the series, China's Creations and Progress in Science and Technology. It chronicles the course of science and technology development in China from a period of strength in ancient times, through deterioration in early modern times to its rejuvenation in contemporary times. At the series launch, Bai said while compiling the book, his team tried to describe the development of China's science and technology and its future prospects for foreign readers to better understand China.

The series has been showcased in multiple international book fairs including the London Book Fair, BookExpo America and the Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF). At the BIBF in 2018, the FLP signed contracts with publishing houses from Spain, Albania, Sri Lanka, India, Singapore and Poland to publish part of the series in their own countries.

Hu said the series has mainly international readers in mind, foreigners wishing to learn about China. It will also help Chinese-to-English translators to translate certain Chinese political terms and expressions into English, he added.

"We've done a lot of books on China's political system, its economy and related information. These books in the past have mostly been one-offs, whereas Understanding China is a structured series dealing with a whole set of topics in a consistent and structured way," Ferguson said. "I think it will be very helpful for foreign politicians, academics and government officials to understand China."

Lu Cairong, Vice President of the China International Publishing Group, speaks at the launch of Understanding China, a 22-book series on the dramatic changes in China in recent decades, in Beijing on December 16, 2018 (COURTESY PHOTO)

Removing misunderstandings

"The world has become smaller today," renowned Chinese writer Wang Meng, whose book The Chinese Way of Thinking, a collection of articles and speeches, is part of the series, said at the launch. "Therefore it will be regrettable if there are still misunderstandings between countries and peoples."

"China, even though it's been rising and has an increasing footprint at every level, really hasn't communicated as much as other nations that historically have the same position," Nicolas Berggruen, founder and Chairman of the Berggruen Institute, said. The Berggruen Institute, a U.S. think tank, co-hosts the Understanding China conference with CIIDS.

"It's important that the West at a period of tension and potential conflict has a better understanding as to where China came from, where it might be going and what the issues are, if there are issues," Berggruen added. "It's important for the West to learn about a culture that is different but deeply rooted."

China's Rise Explained

The Understanding China conference is hosted by the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy, Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, the Beijing Municipal Government and the Berggruen Institute to help foreigners get a better understanding of China and the Communist Party of China. It is also meant for the Chinese to better understand the world. The first conference was held in 2013, followed by the second one in 2015.

The third Understanding China conference, held on December 16-18, sought to explain China's path of reform and opening up for 40 years, leading to its peaceful rise. It conveyed the message that the strategy is an important driver for both China and the rest of the world to build a community of shared future for humanity.

Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar

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