David Blair, vice president and senior economist at the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), has published a new book, How Nations Succeed: The China Case Study, with Springer Nature. Released in August 2026 as part of the China and Globalization book series, the book examines China’s economic transformation and the policies and institutions underpinning its development.
Beginning with a comparative history of the Chinese and US economies from 1979 to 2025, Blair analyzes the distinct historical phases of China’s transformation. The author stresses that the details of a nation’s financial system determine whether a sustainable fundamental transformation is possible.
Challenging conventional theories, the author attributes China’s achievements to its ability to combine a government-planned financial system that promotes capital investment in infrastructure and industry, highly competitive markets in almost all sectors of the economy, and Confucian/socialist social capital. Using these systems, China created a benevolent cycle of high investment, fierce competition, and rapidly rising real wages.
Looking into future, the author argues that China is now in the midst of a further transition to a new growth model based on industrial upgrading. The crucial roles of industrial clusters and rural entrepreneurs are highlighted, emphasizing China’s ability to apply new technologies to farming, small businesses, and manufacturing. Stressing the need for internal competition and rising wages to sustain growth, he concludes that China’s unique blend of state facilitation, social capital, strong competition and adaptive reforms offers a viable model for balancing technological progress with broad-based prosperity.
Blair holds a PhD in economics from UCLA and previously served as a professor of economics and finance at the Eisenhower School of National Defense University in Washington, where he chaired the economics department.
The book is available on Springer Nature’s website.
CCG New Book: China and the Next Global Order
CCG Update is pleased to present China and the Next Global Order: Coming Multipolar World and Great-Power Coopetition, a new book by Henry Huiyao Wang, founder and president of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), published by Springer Nature.