The Fight for China's Future Civil Society vs. the Chinese Communist Party

The Fight for China’s Future throws light on the quintessence of 21st century Chinese politics through the prism of the struggle between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and China’s vibrant intelligentsia and civil society. This book examines Xi Jinping’s 24-hour, multi-dimensional, AI-enabled police-state apparatus and explores the CCP’s policy towards civil society. Through exclusive interviews with activists from different provinces, it analyzes the experiences and aspirations of key stakeholders in Chinese society, especially intellectuals, human rights attorneys and Christian worshippers. Providing an examination of recent global trends in relation to CCP policies, including China’s relationship with the U.S., it also goes on to explore the possible trajectories of future change. Featuring an assessment of Xi Jinping’s leadership style and the opportunities this has given certain groups to promote the rule of law, media freedom and other global norms, this book will be invaluable to students of Chinese politics, society and culture.

List of abbreviations 1. Introduction: The Civil Society versus Xi Jinping’s Police-State Apparatus 2. Contributions of Intellectuals: Emancipating the Mind in the Midst of Ruthless Suppression 3. Human Rights Lawyers’ Struggle against Xi Jinping’s "Socialist Rule by Law" 4. A New Awakening for China’s Oppressed Christians 5. How the China–U.S. Cold War Opens up Opportunities for the Civil Society Index

Willy Wo-Lap Lam is Adjunct Professor at the Center for China Studies and the Department of History, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. He is the author of Chinese Politics in the Era of Xi Jinping (Routledge, 2015) and the editor of Routledge Handbook of the Chinese Communist Party (2018).