China’s intentions to become the world’s next superpower are clear. After decades of trade and investments with advanced democracies, the country is far richer and stronger today than ever before. At the same time, China remains regressive toward its citizens and aggressive toward countries abroad. How did we get to this point?

The West and its allies underestimated the resilience and ruthlessness of the Chinese Communist Party, Aaron Friedberg argues. In a new book, “Getting China Wrong,” he explains why the West’s strategy toward China failed and offers a path forward for U.S. foreign policy toward China.

Friedberg is a professor of politics and international affairs at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. He studies international relations with expertise in international security, globalization, political economy, foreign and defense policy, and East Asia.

Endnotes, a SPIA podcast, takes listeners behind the cover and through the pages of books on politics, policy, and more — all written by faculty at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. The show is hosted by B. Rose Huber.