For several decades Chinese ascendancy has been supported by an astonishingly broad and deep portfolio of soft power. The stories are their reach are breath-taking - Chinese-sponsored reporting in the Daily Telegraph; the gagging of NBA and Premier League sports brands; state-funded faculties across Western academia; Hollywood self-censorship for the Chinese market; and of course - Huawei. But these are just the most visible examples. With some dextrous manoeuvrings during the global pandemic, Chinese munificence and leadership towards other states has now positioned it to take its place as leader of the world. This is the culmination of a long campaign waged strategically by the Chinese Communist Party before our eyes.

Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, an internationally recognized expert in the "China influence beat" has been heading the investigation into the wielding of these covert investments for years. In Beijing Rules she goes further - not only outlining the many astonishing schemes in this bid for global dominance but showing us what their success tells us about ourselves. Their rise tells us how susceptible our own system of free market capitalism in a globalized economy is. Through the loopholes of big money in politics, corporate deregulation and the disenfranchisement of the worker, we have become vulnerable to the dispassionate forces of authoritarian capitalism. Our once key strength has become our weakness.