THE LION AND THE DRAGON reveals the part that Britain played in the awakening of China, then covers relations between the two countries during the period when an aroused China did indeed shake the world. Lawrence James also follows the parallel trajectories of four competitive empires – the British, the Chinese, the Russian and the Japanese – during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and then the fortunes of a fifth imperial power, the United States.

Successive British governments saw China as a source of wealth which needed to be protected. Local objections were seen off by force (the ‘Opium’ wars of 1839-42, 1856-7 and 1859-60) whose results proved that the Qing emperors could not protect their country. Indian troops were deployed in each campaign and manned Britain’s small garrisons in Hong Kong, Shanghai and other Treaty ports. Yet Britain never sought to make China into another India. Rather it allowed the emperors and their officials to govern, so long as they were docile and amenable to British needs. Paramount were the internal stability and fiscal responsibility that were the lubricants of trade.

A unified nation with economic and military muscle, and aware of its distant past as one of the great nations of the world, has been intent on reversing her recent history. Lawrence James vividly chronicles a time when this huge nation’s divisions encouraged foreigners to treat her as a treasure-house to be plundered at will. This warning from history explains why China’s present rulers brook neither dissent nor popular unrest.

‘James’ writing is always full of energy and animation; he has an excellent eye for revealing detail’ William Dalrymple

‘James has a genius for detail’ A.N. Wilson

Britain and China share a rich, complex history. From the dramatic events of the First Opium War to the modern-day implications of the handover of Hong Kong, The Lion and the Dragon delves into the turbulent relationship between these two global powers.

Charting the rise and fall of the British empire alongside the growth of China’s powers, acclaimed historian Lawrence James unravels the intricate threads of British colonialism, China’s struggle for sovereignty, and the impact of global events on their complex interplay. He follows the parallel trajectories of four competitive empires – the British, the Chinese, the Russian and the Japanese – during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and then the fortunes of a fifth imperial power, the United States. In doing so, he paints a vivid picture of the interactions, alliances and conflicts between the two nations over almost two centuries, from imperial ambitions and cultural clashes to economic interests and political manoeuvrings.

Deeply researched and compellingly told, The Lion and the Dragon is an exploration of the tumultuous history between two powerful nations, providing crucial insights into a relationship that continues to shape the world today.