China is the world's most populated nation with just over 1.3 billion people, and growing every day. Historically, China has been a leading civilization, outpacing many nations in the arts and sciences. But in the first half of the 20th century, China was beset by famines, civil unrest, wars, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists, led by Mao Zedong, established a dictatorship that imposed strict controls over everyday life of its citizens, commerce, and society. After 1978, under Deng Xiaoping, China gradually introduced market-oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision making. And output reportedly has quadrupled in the last 20 years. But for western business today, China remains a quagmire. With the world's second largest GDP, enormous untapped potential markets and vast resources, it sustains great uncertainty and instability. For example, political controls remain extremely tight even while economic controls continue to weaken. And in the eyes of the world, its poor humanitarian record is of great concern.