Red gambling: The corruption behind China's modern financial power transactions that frightens the CCP's top leaders

Red Roulette: An Insider's Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption, and Vengeance in Today's China

Red Roulette

★ The Economist & Financial Times Best Books of 2021 ★
　　Foreword by Fan Zou, Geopolitical Writer and Cross-Disciplinary Thinker
　　Strongly recommended by Jerome Cohen, Barbara Demick, and Matt Pottinger

　　They once ascended to the pinnacle of power and wealth together, until one of them "disappeared"...
　　
　　◤This is a unique and highly relevant memoir,
　　telling the story of how a Chinese entrepreneurial couple amassed billions of dollars by cultivating powerful connections, why the wife suddenly disappeared, and revealing the inside truth about how China's "red aristocracy" and wealthy elites jointly amassed enormous fortunes.◢

　　After the Second Chinese Civil War, Shen Dong's grandfather, a lawyer, had the opportunity to leave China, but he chose to stay. Soon after, the Communist Party shut down his law firm and confiscated his house. The Communist Party classified his family as one of the "Five Black Categories" (landlords, rich farmers, counter-revolutionaries, bad elements, and rightists), which meant they could never attend good schools or find good jobs. This meant that Shen Dong was also forced to grow up facing discrimination and poverty. Born into such an ignoble and impoverished family, Shen Dong had one advantage: "ambition." Looking back at this journey, Shen Dong's life and China's transformation into a superpower are surprisingly similar.

　　After completing his university education in the United States, Shen Dong chose to return to China to pursue a career and fulfill his ideal of building up his homeland. Later, he met the extraordinarily intelligent and ambitious Duan Weihong — a daring and driven female entrepreneur in a patriarchal society. Both from humble beginnings and sharing the same goals, they subsequently, through their tenacious perseverance and exceptional business acumen, successfully partnered with Zhang Peili, the wife of former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, which elevated them to the ranks of modern China's wealthy elite. They not only reshaped Beijing's urban landscape but also built a massive air cargo logistics center at Beijing Airport.

　　▌In China, power is everything; money is nothing!

　　As young wealthy individuals in China, Shen Dong and Duan Weihong were thus able to enter the social circles of the CCP's top echelon, witnessing firsthand the lavish, untold lives of the Communist Party's "red families" and the brutal internal power struggles among high-ranking officials.

　　However, on September 5, 2017, while Shen Dong was living overseas with his son, he learned that his ex-wife Duan Weihong and three colleagues had suddenly vanished. They "disappeared," leaving Shen Dong and his son with nothing but an abysmal silence, no answers. But just before the publication of this book, Duan Weihong, who had been missing for four years, suddenly called...

　　From the moment Shen Dong decided to write this book, he knew he was formally embarking on a life-or-death "Russian roulette" duel with the CCP, and he also realized that he was already being targeted by the CCP authorities—he had already made a will to ensure all matters were in order.

　　In this book, Shen Dong exposes the corrupt inner workings of the Chinese regime, demonstrating to readers how much Chinese entrepreneurs rely on "guanxi" (connections) and the "relationship" struggles that take place behind the scenes.

　　This book is both Shen Dong's story and Duan Weihong's story, even though she cannot tell it herself.
　　"I am like David in the biblical story fighting the giant Goliath, even though the CCP regime is a behemoth a million times stronger than Goliath." — Shen Dong

Recommendations from all walks of life

　　Foreword —
　　Fan Zou | Renowned geopolitical writer, cross-disciplinary thinker

　　Strongly recommended by —
　　Matt Pottinger | Former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor
　　Jerome Cohen | Professor of Law at New York University, former Associate Dean of Harvard Law School, renowned American expert on Chinese and East Asian law
　　David Barboza | Founder of The Wire China
　　David Rennie | Beijing Bureau Chief for The Economist
　　Bill Browder | Author of the bestseller "Red Notice"
　　Barbara Demick | Author of "Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea" and "Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town," former Beijing Bureau Chief for the Los Angeles Times

　　"This is a 'must-read' book for anyone who wants to understand the current situation in China. It gives readers a deeper understanding of the corruption in Chinese politics and the political circles in Beijing." — Jerome Cohen, Professor of Law at New York University, former Associate Dean of Harvard Law School, renowned American expert on Chinese and East Asian law

　　"Shen Dong's book offers a glimpse into how China's privileged elite, indulged by the system, have leveraged their connections with Politburo members to amass billions of dollars. This is a world of Chateau Lafite, Rolls-Royces, and hundred-million-dollar yachts, where friendships are purely transactional. While the book is highly enjoyable to read and full of anecdotes, it is also incredibly poignant. After reading this book, I believe readers will gain a richer and deeper insight into the power dynamics between the Chinese Communist Party and the billionaires it has spawned." — Barbara Demick, author of "Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea" and "Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town," former Beijing Bureau Chief for the Los Angeles Times

　　"This book is what those closely following China have been eagerly awaiting: a profound personal epic revealing the idealism, euphoria, and insatiable greed of post-Deng Xiaoping China... This is exactly what the current Chinese leadership is like. If this book can also spawn a new genre of Chinese personal histories — and I hope it will — then it will be an enduring classic in that category. Shen Dong has written a fascinating, moving, yet dangerous book for himself." — Matt Pottinger, former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor

　　"The CCP's party machine is right to be concerned. Its recent major scandals will be re-examined in this book. This book meticulously describes China's elite circles built on secrecy and fear, where family relationships are one of the solid foundations for building bonds of trust." — David Rennie, Beijing Bureau Chief for The Economist

　　"The writing is powerful enough to make the Chinese authorities uneasy. It is certain that the CCP will be very displeased with the publication of this book. Shen Dong pulls back the curtain on China's so-called economic miracle, offering readers a glimpse into the corruption, conflicts of interest, and greed at the highest levels of government. In modern China, few dare to resist the CCP's suppression of dissent and honestly tell their personal story of what truly happens within government institutions. Shen Dong gives us the opportunity to witness firsthand the ugly dark side of high-level CCP politics." — Bill Browder, author of the bestseller "Red Notice"

　　"Compelling, sensational, rich in plot, and intricately portrayed, it has greatly changed my understanding of China." — David Barboza, Founder of The Wire China

　　"This is a book the CCP does not want to be published." — CNN

　　"From the moment Shen Dong decided to write this book, he knew he was formally embarking on a 'duel' with the CCP, and he also realized that he was now being targeted by the CCP authorities — he had already made a will to ensure all matters were in order. He said: 'I am like David in the biblical story fighting the giant Goliath, even though the CCP regime is a behemoth a million times stronger than Goliath.'" — The Sunday Times

　　"This memoir points out how the Chinese government controls the business order, what happens when businessmen cross the line, and also reveals how government bureaucrats blur the rules, ensuring that the threat of suppression is always present." — The New York Times

　　"Through vivid descriptions, it offers readers a glimpse into the luxurious lives of those in power in China." — The Washington Post

　　"This book reveals many untold behind-the-scenes stories. The publication of this book, which provides the world with details of Beijing's internal operations, has clearly terrified the highest leaders of the CCP authorities. Shen Dong offers a unique, highly readable insider account of the world's most mysterious great power." — The Spectator

　　"This book has quickly become a must-read for observing how corrupt the highest echelons of the Chinese Communist Party are. And Shen Dong's ex-wife, Duan Weihong, who was forcibly detained in Beijing and disappeared for four years, suddenly reappeared last week, causing a renewed uproar in society regarding this book." — "China Watcher" column under POLITICO

　　"This book is rapidly becoming essential reading for experts and scholars observing elite Chinese politics, vividly depicting the lavish lifestyles of China's political and business elites. Shen Dong's precise articulation of event details offers readers a rare opportunity to gain insight into the network of relationships within China's political and business elite." — The Diplomat

　　"This debut from a new author is truly breathtaking. The brilliant narrative is filled with an unavoidable sense of tragedy. Shen Dong's harsh indictment of 'a political system that shouts communist slogans, where bureaucrats only seek to enrich themselves amidst economic decline' is truly compelling. Anyone interested in Xi Jinping's China will be deeply drawn to this book." — Publishers Weekly

　　"In a thoughtful, slowly constructed, and suspenseful narrative, Shen Dong offers unique insights into the workings of power and greed. Contemporary Chinese affairs remain mysterious, murky, and complex, and observers in this field will find many fascinating plotlines and gain a deeper understanding of this new China, operating like a gambling den." — Kirkus Reviews

　　"Shen Dong provides his personal experience of China's turbulent economic development, which will not only draw the attention of scholars studying Chinese politics and business but also deserves a closer look by a wider readership." — Library Journal

2023-01-17

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