Real China

Real China travels through the heart of China, far away from Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou, in search of the real issues facing the Chinese people. Beyond the 'economic miracle' much praised abroad, there are millions of unhappy jobless peasants and a widening gap between rich and poor.

Urban squalor persists alongside a new generation of 'Get Rich First' entrepreneurs. The popular press revels in crime and sex but cannot discuss politics. No one knows where China is headed after the death of Deng Xiaoping. John Gittings combines original research with on-the-spot enquiry to explore these questions in the villages and towns of Middle China.