Book Review: Upstart: How China Became a Great Power

Authors

R. M. Ihme

Files

Description

Author: Oriana Skylar Mastro

Reviewed by Lieutenant Colonel Kelly R. M. Ihme, PhD, General Hoyt S. Vandenberg Chair of Aerospace Studies and assistant professor, Department of Distance Education, US Army War College

Upstart: How China Became a Great Power, by Oriana Skylar Mastro, tracks China’s transition from a minor regional influence in the 1990s to a global power. The author developed and used the Upstart Strategy, which examines emulation, exploitation, and entrepreneurship, to offer predictive modeling that political and military leaders can use to anticipate China’s future trajectory. Reviewer Kelly Ihme applauds the specific and actionable recommendations for America and its allies.

Publication Date

9-22-2025

Keywords

instruments of power, China, grand strategy, foreign policy, great-power competition

Disciplines

Defense and Security Studies

Recommended Citation

R. M. Ihme, Book Review: Upstart: How China Became a Great Power ( US Army War College Press, 2025),
https://press.armywarcollege.edu/parameters_bookshelf/97