A book by Thomas J. Christensen, William P. Boswell Professor of World Politics of Peace and War at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, is a medalist of the 2016 Arthur Ross Book Award, presented annually by the Council on Foreign Relations.

“The China Challenge: Shaping the Choices of a Rising Power” received the silver medal.

“The China Challenge,” published in 2015 by W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., argues against the familiar notion that China is a rival superpower to the United States. Instead, Christensen, who also is director of the Princeton-Harvard China and the World Program, points to other points of conflict and friction. While still a developing country, China is strong enough to destabilize East Asia and is a needed contributor to most multilateral global governance efforts. Therefore, the United States should work toward dissuading China from regional aggression while encouraging the country to contribute to the global order.

Endowed by the late Arthur Ross in 2001, the Arthur Ross Book Award honors nonfiction works, in English or translation, that bring forth new information that changes the understanding of events or problems, develop analytical approaches that offer insight into critical issues or introduce ideas that help resolve foreign policy problems. The jury is independent of the Council on Foreign Relations and consists of a group of international affairs scholars and practitioners.

Christensen joins medalists Niall Ferguson (Gold Medal), author of “Kissinger: 1923-1968: The Idealist,” and Charles Moore (Bronze Medal), author of “Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography—Volume II: Everything She Wants.”