China's Foreign Relations and the Survival of Autocracies

The investigation focuses on China's emergence as a major power and its influence on non-democratic regimes. By examining bilateral relations with Cambodia, Burma, and Mongolia, the book reveals how China leverages secretive decision-making in autocracies to further its interests, particularly in accessing natural resources. It highlights that while certain interactions, like high trade dependence, can bolster the survival of autocratic leaders, other forms, such as diplomatic ties or economic cooperation, do not have the same stabilizing effect.