Empire of Illusion: Why China Isn’t a True Superpower

Frank Dikötter is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution who has recently returned to the United States after living in Hong Kong since 2006. In this provocative conversation, Dikötter challenges the prevailing narrative about China’s rise. Drawing from his latest book, China After Mao: The Rise of a Superpower, Dikötter argues that the Chinese Communist Party has masterfully projected the image of a powerful, modern, and economically dominant nation—but says that image is largely a façade.

VIDEO BY THE HOOVER INSTITUTION AND UNCOMMON KNOWLEDGE / WATCH AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE HOOVER INSTITUTION AND UNCOMMON KNOWLEDGE ON YOUTUBE