This new edition of the classic history of modern China since the seventeenth century has been updated to examine the return of Hong Kong in 1997 and the upcoming return of Macao in 1999. In his new concluding chapter, Hsü discusses the end of the last vestiges of foreign imperialism in China, as well as China's emergence as a regional and global superpower. US-China revalry and the prospect of unification between China and Taiwan are also considered. In addition, the further readings sections have been entirely revised.