Lu examines the conditions under which China could be integrated into the US-led liberal international order through US engagement policies. This analysis operates within the broader framework of a hegemon's deliberate strategy to incorporate a rising great power into its established order and to shape the rising power’s foreign policy—a frequently overlooked dimension of China's relationship with the still largely US-led international system.

Through the development of a comprehensive framework for understanding state socialization, the book demonstrates that China's integration into the liberal international order through US engagement faces fundamental structural obstacles. Rather than depending on the hegemon's ideational influence, this socialization process is primarily determined by the degree to which external ideas align with Beijing's domestic priorities and status objectives.

An essential reading for scholars and academics studying China's international relations, US-China relations, Asia Pacific politics, and global governance.