Sino Infection

The New Chinese Empire: And What It Means to the United States, by Ross Terrill (Basic, 400 pp., $30)

IN recent years, many of America’s leading academic Sinologists have fumed as uncredentialed China hands have turned out books and articles on China and U.S.-China relations that commanded much public attention—and exerted much influence on U.S. thinking about China. The overshadowed Sinology establishment has mainly itself to blame: On the crucial topics of U.S.-China relations and the direction of contemporary China itself, academic Sinologists tend to produce polite reports and mushy books that rarely go beyond cautiously advancing the consensus of the Sinological establishment. Even when addressing China’s direst problems, they have perfected language and phrasing that will not offend Chinese officialdom. To offend is to jeopardize one’s ability to visit China and interview Chinese officials and academics—access that constitutes the bread and butter of the Sinological trade. No access means no field research, fewer research grants, and—for the top Sinologists—no fat consulting fees from corporations.

RH

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Ross H. Munro

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The New Chinese Empire: And What It Means to the United States, by Ross Terrill (Basic, 400 pp., $30)

IN recent years, many of America’s leading academic Sinologists have fumed as uncredentialed China hands have turned out books and articles on China and U.S.-China relations that commanded much public attention—and exerted much influence on U.S. thinking about China. The overshadowed Sinology establishment has mainly itself to blame: On the crucial topics of U.S.-China relations and the direction of contemporary China itself, academic Sinologists tend to produce polite reports and mushy books that rarely go beyond cautiously advancing the consensus of the Sinological establishment. Even when addressing China’s direst problems, they have perfected language and phrasing that will not offend Chinese officialdom. To offend is to jeopardize one’s ability to visit China and interview Chinese officials and academics—access that constitutes the bread and butter of the Sinological trade. No access means no field research, fewer research grants, and—for the top Sinologists—no fat consulting fees from corporations.