Traditionally, political scientists and economists have seen China as a single entity; business people have seen China as a single market. This book challenges the notion of a centralized and unified China, and outlines how provinces are taking on new economic and political roles, forced upon them by decentralization. Whilst central leadership in Beijing retains overall initative, decision-making powers in major policies are shifting to the provinces. They are becoming economic and political agents with their own economic/social agendas, and distinct political and cultural identities. This text uses the concept of competitive advantage in the context of Chinese provincial studies. On the basis of seven case studies, the book charts different provincial paths of economic and political development, and analyzes how individual provinces use their comparative and competitive advantage to formulate strategies in inter-provincial competition. This is an approach which contests the idea that it is safe to regard what happens in one province as representative for the whole country.