Monday  20 January 2014 at 7:00 pm

Venue: glo London (3/F, VIP Room or Lounge)

1 Wulumuqi, near Dongping Lu (across from American Consulate)

上海高乐英餐饮有限公司

上海市乌鲁木齐南路一号甲

The RAS Book Club will meet to discuss:

by James McGregor

ISBN- 13:9781935212812

Published by: Easton Studio Press

Publication Date: 6Nov2012

146 pages

Copies of the book will be available at RAS events prior to this meeting. You may also obtain a copy of the book by contacting the RAS Book Club (see below).

Entrance: RMB 70.00 (RAS Members) and RMB 100.00 (non-members) including a drink (tea, coffee, soft drink, or glass of wine). Those unable to make the donation but wishing to attend may contact us for exemption, prior to this RAS Book Club event. Member applications and membership renewals will be available at this event.

RSVP: bookclub@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn

N.B. RESERVATIONS ESSENTIAL AS SPACE IS LIMITED AT THIS EVENT.

THE BOOK (from James McGregor website)

In three decades, China has risen from near collapse to a powerhouse–upending policy and business conventions across the globe.  China is now the second largest economy, the second largest exporter, and a manufacturing machine that has lifted 500 million from poverty while producing more than one million U.S. dollar millionaires.

Then why do China’s leaders describe their economic model as “unstable” and “unsustainable”?  

Because it is.

In this highly readable book, James McGregor offers extensive new research that pulls back the curtain on China’s economic power.  He describes the much-vaunted “China Model” as one of authoritarian capitalism, a unique system that must be radically overhauled for the country to continue its march toward prosperity.  The system is proving incompatible with global trade and business governance, and relying on an outdated investment and export model that’s running out of steam.

The nation must consume more of what it makes.  It must learn to innovate.  It must unleash private enterprise.   And Communist Party bosses must cede their pervasive and smothering hold on economic power to foster the growth, and thus social stability, that they can’t survive without.

As a Tang Dynasty official lamented, China has: “No ancient wisdom, no followers.”  He was describing how the empire was headed alone into dangerous and unchartered waters without any precedent for guidance.

And today–as McGregor makes clear–this is China’s greatest challenge.

THE AUTHOR (from James McGregor website)

James McGregor is an American author, journalist and businessman who has lived in China for more than 20 years.  He is a senior counselor for APCO Worldwide and a member of the firm’s international advisory council.  A professional speaker and commentator who specializes in China’s business, politics and society, he regularly appears in the media to discuss China-related topics. He is also a contributor to The Atlantic.

From 1987 to 1990 McGregor served as The Wall Street Journal’s bureau chief in Taiwan, and from 1990 to 1994 as the paper’s bureau chief in Mainland China.   From 1994 to 2000, he was chief executive of Dow Jones & Company in China.  After leaving Dow Jones, he was China managing partner for GIV Venture Partners, a $140 million venture capital fund specializing in the Chinese Internet and technology outsourcing.

In 1996, McGregor was elected as chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. He also served for a decade as a governor of that organization.  He is a member of the Atlantic Council, Council on Foreign Relations, National Committee on US-China Relations and International Council of the Asia Society.  He serves on a variety of China-related advisory boards. 

He and his family live in Beijing.

McGregor also wrote;

One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China (2005).