This is the inside story of a revolution in China policy, from Washington to Brussels, Berlin to New Delhi. The Rupture explains how so many of the Western politicians, thinkers and business leaders closest to Beijing have transformed into its sharpest opponents; how this collective rethink was dramatically accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic; and why seemingly obscure debates over 5G technology have become the first test case as to whether the battle for the future may tilt in China's favour.

Noted China expert Andrew Small offers his detailed account of a rivalry that ranges far beyond US-China 'great power' politics. He traces US efforts to recast relations with old allies, as Washington has realised that it cannot confront the Chinese challenge alone; he charts the growth of Europe's role in the technological and economic contest, and Beijing's attempts to build a coalition of its own, from Moscow to Taliban-run Kabul.

The result is a kaleidoscopic picture showing the true significance of the emerging competition between systems and a lucid analysis of how the free-market, liberal-democratic model itself will be transformed for China's rise will change the balance of ideas as much as it will change the balance of power.

'[A] fast-paced and deeply researched book.' Financial Times

'Four years ago, Emmanuel Macron remarked that the era of European naivety on China was over. As Andrew Small establishes in his book The Rupture, the shift was not born primarily of US pressure to pick sides though that was unquestionably felt but of Europe's own dealings with Beijing.' The Guardian

'A nuanced account of how the scales fell from the eyes of Western diplomats, economists and China analysts.' Global Asia

'[Small] tells the story with a combination of close detail and clear analysis that will inform both specialists and generalists.' Foreign Affairs

'A compelling, first-person perspective on the West's awakening to the systemic challenges posed by China.' Newsweek

'Detailed and clear-sighted. A valuable report on a consequential global rivalry.' Publishers Weekly