Jean-François Lépine has spent forty years observing China from the inside—first as a journalist in Beijing during the early reform era, and later as a diplomat heading Québec’s representation in China until 2021. Few Canadians have had such sustained, close-up access to a country that has transformed so dramatically within a single generation.

Inside China’s Rise offers a unique blend of memoir, reportage, and reflection. Drawing on decades of conversations with Chinese citizens—from officials and academics to students and everyday people, including his longtime Mandarin teacher—Lépine traces the contours of a society in motion. He explores how China sees itself, how it is reshaping its place in the world, and how it perceives the West in return.

At a time of growing misunderstanding and geopolitical tension, this is an essential guide to a complex superpower. Thoughtful, clear-eyed, and grounded in lived experience, it helps readers move beyond headlines to better understand the forces shaping modern China—and what they mean for Canada and the world.