The Truth About China

Name: The Truth About China
Brand: Allen & Unwin
SKU: 9781760879860
Price: 39.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

Propaganda, patriotism and the search for answers

By Bill Birtles

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4.05

( 430 ratings, 43 reviews)

Summary

In The Truth About China, journalist Bill Birtles shares his personal experiences and observations from living and working in China. The book provides an insightful exploration of contemporary Chinese society, politics, and media, offering a balanced perspective on the complexities of the country. Through Birtles' narrative, readers gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and nuances faced by those reporting from China.
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Format: Paperback / softback

$39⁹⁹

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The Truth About China

$39⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are interested in understanding contemporary China through personal experiences and insights. The narrative offers an engaging look into the nation's complexities, as seen through the eyes of an experienced journalist. Dive into this memoir for a fascinating blend of cultural observation and political intrigue.

A thrilling and provocative account of unfolding tensions between China and the West, filled with the people, stories and sticky situations from Bill Birtles' five years as ABC correspondent.

Description

"People abroad always thought things were much scarier in China than they really were. What threw me, though, was the urgency of the diplomats in Beijing. They live it, they get it. And they wanted me out."

Bill Birtles was rushed out of China in September 2020, forced to seek refuge in the Australian Embassy in Beijing while diplomats delicately negotiated his departure in an unprecedented standoff with China's government. Five days later, he was on a flight back to Sydney, leaving China without any Australian foreign correspondents on the ground for the first time in decades.

A journalist's perspective on this rising global power has never been more important, as Australia's relationship with China undergoes an extraordinary change. This includes the detention of journalist Cheng Lei, Canberra's criticism of Beijing's efforts to crush Hong Kong's freedoms, China's military activity in the South China Sea, and its human rights violations targeting the mostly Muslim Uighur minority in Xinjiang province.

Chronicling his five-year stint in China as he criss-crossed the country, Birtles reveals why the historic unravelling of China's relations with the West is perceived very differently inside the country.

The Truth About China is a compelling and candid examination of China, one that takes a magnifying glass to recent events, and looks through a telescope at what is yet to come.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Truth About China by Bill Birtles provides a gripping account of his experiences as an Australian journalist in China from 2015 to 2020, culminating in his dramatic expulsion amid rising tensions. The book opens with the story of his forced departure, detailing his unexpected visit from state security officials and subsequent refuge in the Australian embassy. It also delves into the Hong Kong protests, offering insights into the complexities of reporting in China during a turbulent period.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760879860

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 April 2021

Country: Australia

Imprint: Allen & Unwin

Illustration: 16-page plate section

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 17.0mm

Width: 155.0mm

Height: 237.0mm

Weight: 480g

Pages: 320

Collections

Bill Birtles Biography & Memoir Non-Fiction

About the Author

Bill Birtles was the ABC's China correspondent in Beijing from 2015 to 2020, his posting coming to a sudden end when he was rushed out of the country by Australian diplomats in an unprecedented diplomatic standoff. Reporting from both major cities and remote provinces throughout the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, he covered an era-defining period of change, upheaval and diplomatic tension as China asserted itself on the world stage. Originally from Sydney, Birtles first studied Mandarin in the Chinese capital and later worked inside the government's most important state media and propaganda organ, the Xinhua newsagency, before returning to Beijing for the ABC. He is now covering South-East Asia as the ABC's Indonesia Bureau Chief, based in Jakarta.