China is a nation at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. In this previously unpublished volume in the series "l’Université de tous les savoirs", the authors review the present-day situation and ask the following questions: How should China’s current political system be defined? What is China’s position in the world today? What are the different aspects of cultural and intellectual life in China? This is a novel approach to a history of contemporary China.

Contributions by Marie-Claire Bergère, Michel Bonnin, Charles Chauderlot, Anne Cheng, Yves Chevrier, Jean-Luc Domenach, Françoise Ged, François Godement, Wang Shaoqi, Joël Thoraval, Léon Vandermeersch, Chu Xiao-Quan.