Peter Martin of Bloomberg debuts his new book which charts China's transformation from an isolated and impoverished communist state to a global superpower from the perspective of those on the front line: China's diplomats. They give a rare perspective on the greatest geopolitical drama of the last half century.

In the early days of the People's Republic, diplomats were highly-disciplined, committed communists who feared revealing any weakness to the threatening capitalist world. Remarkably, the model that revolutionary leader Zhou Enlai established continues to this day despite the massive changes the country has undergone in recent decades.

Drawing for the first time on the memoirs of more than a hundred retired diplomats as well as Martin's first-hand reporting, this groundbreaking book blends history with current events to tease out enduring lessons about the kind of power China is set to become. The talk will be moderated by Susan Shirk.