The reemergence of China as a political force has triggered sharp reassessments of its future role in the Asia-Pacific region. There has been much hyperbole about China's economic power, especially if it is linked with the entrepreneurial talents of the ubiquitous Chinese spread around the globe. Some countries have been encouraged to sound warning bells about China's future ambitions to dominate the region. All this is not surprising, even understandable. But the danger of exaggeration to the point where efforts to predict what China and the Chinese will do become merely alarmist, and the predictions become self-fulfilling, has to be guarded against.There is no easy remedy for deep-seated suspicion and hostility leading to persistent attempts to mislead and provoke. The recent financial crisis in East Asia has aggravated some worst-case scenarios and these may bring additional worries to the region's plans for ultimate recovery. The three essays in this volume focus on some areas where myths and prejudices have long survived. They offer different perspectives and suggest alternative ways to approach certain problems of understanding China's relations with Southeast Asia.Contents:Confronting MythsChina's Place in the RegionCulture in State RelationsReadership:General.Key Features:Provides an interpretation of Chinese medicine that can be understood by an audience comfortable and familiar with Western medicine, and fills a serious gap in the literature for explaining its workingsTakes a non-advocacy approach, laying out the rationale for Chinese diagnosis, therapy and cultivation of health, and pointing out their strengths as well as inadequacies and the need for more extensive clinical trials to support their claims.Contains informative chapters on herbs and acupuncture and the TCM approach to the treatment of chronic illnesses like heart disease, hypertension and strokes, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, menstrual and menopausal problems, as well as complementary treatment for cancer