The Next China is Still China
On sale
16th June 2026
Price: £25
Both a revelatory, insight-filled playbook for doing business in China and a probing look at why the country, despite the challenges it faces, still possesses unrivaled prospects for growth and entrepreneurial opportunity-by two leaders who, over the course of decades, have taken turns helming McKinsey’s China-based management consulting.
In just forty years, China has transformed from a closed economy into a global powerhouse. Riding the tailwinds of its massive labor supply, aggressive infrastructure investment, and ingrained work ethic, the nation became a haven of opportunity. However, more recently, shifting demographics, less torrid growth, and an increasingly complex geopolitical environment have caused some to wonder: Where lies the next China? The authors of this book have a bold and unequivocal answer: the next China is still China.
There is no substitute for the Chinese market. China accounts for a staggering 30% of global manufacturing and 18% of global GDP, surpassing the European Union and trailing only the United States. With nearly five million STEM graduates each year (more than the total number of US degree graduates across all fields!), China is well-positioned in an era of technological automation, artificial intelligence, and data-powered innovation. However, the strategies that once propelled businesses to success in China are no longer sufficient. A new playbook is needed.
The Next China Is Still China will answer a range of provocative questions, including:
* Will China with its aging population fall into a Japan-style stagnation, or can it maintain its superpower trajectory?
* What is exciting about the country’s vaunted “China speed,” and how can multinationals continue leveraging it for outsized profits?
* What is the key to pleasing China’s “hyper-switching” consumers who have little brand loyalty?
* Amid rising nationalism and geopolitical risk, should global firms rethink their China presence or, instead, double down?
* As America’s tech giants make massive investment in AI, can China’s fast-adapting innovation ecosystem keep up?
The Next China Is Still China upends conventional wisdom, providing fresh actionable strategies for winning in the years ahead.
In just forty years, China has transformed from a closed economy into a global powerhouse. Riding the tailwinds of its massive labor supply, aggressive infrastructure investment, and ingrained work ethic, the nation became a haven of opportunity. However, more recently, shifting demographics, less torrid growth, and an increasingly complex geopolitical environment have caused some to wonder: Where lies the next China? The authors of this book have a bold and unequivocal answer: the next China is still China.
There is no substitute for the Chinese market. China accounts for a staggering 30% of global manufacturing and 18% of global GDP, surpassing the European Union and trailing only the United States. With nearly five million STEM graduates each year (more than the total number of US degree graduates across all fields!), China is well-positioned in an era of technological automation, artificial intelligence, and data-powered innovation. However, the strategies that once propelled businesses to success in China are no longer sufficient. A new playbook is needed.
The Next China Is Still China will answer a range of provocative questions, including:
* Will China with its aging population fall into a Japan-style stagnation, or can it maintain its superpower trajectory?
* What is exciting about the country’s vaunted “China speed,” and how can multinationals continue leveraging it for outsized profits?
* What is the key to pleasing China’s “hyper-switching” consumers who have little brand loyalty?
* Amid rising nationalism and geopolitical risk, should global firms rethink their China presence or, instead, double down?
* As America’s tech giants make massive investment in AI, can China’s fast-adapting innovation ecosystem keep up?
The Next China Is Still China upends conventional wisdom, providing fresh actionable strategies for winning in the years ahead.
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Reviews
"A must-read. This eye-opening journey into the intricacies of how certain Chinese firms manage to prosper offers a window onto the country's likely future."
"An insight-packed, rigorous guidebook...Readers will come away with an understanding of what remains durable, how to spot opportunity, and how to efficiently operate in situations of daunting complexity."
"Clear-eyed and compelling, essential reading for Chinese business."
"Deeply informed and urgently needed. This book dismantles the clichés that still dominate business thinking about China."
"Delves into the unique advantages and transformation challenges of China's business in terms of scale, speed, and innovation...highly valuable."
"Eloquently makes the case for why multinationals need to double-down on China. It's not just about leveraging awe-inspiring scale...Rather, it's about how battling in a hyper-competitive market makes everyone better prepared for the pivots to come."
"Impressively researched with timely conclusions. The authors puncture persistent myths about what it takes to succeed in China, providing a useful lens through which can be seen what is working now and what is likely to work in the future."
"Sharply written and compelling in argument, The Next China is a navigation guide to the country that no business leader can ignore."