This unit is designed to enhance students' Chinese academic language skills and their understanding on the important aspects of the Chinese state through the reading of relevant academic and media publications, and through the discussions and debates both in and beyond the classroom. By completing this unit, students are able to (1) demonstrate a competent language ability and cultural awareness to move between the Chinese- and English- speaking worlds; (2) identify, describe and interpret the development of the politics and international relations in contemporary China; (3) critically assess the accuracy, comprehensiveness and validity of the academic and media publications regarding the recent developments of the Chinese state; (4) demonstrate the ability to present research findings to the general public in the Chinese-speaking world in oral and written forms; and (5) write according to the academic conventions in Chinese.