Drawing heavily on the analyses of Chinese Communist communications during the past 30 years by the Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Sutter throws fresh light on several aspects of Chinese policy, particularly on the dialogue with Washington in 1955-57 over Taiwan. The chapter on the ambassadorial talks in Geneva suggests that Peking demonstrated much greater flexibility over the Taiwan issue at that time than is generally assumed. It is particularly relevant to current discussions about the prospects for U.S.-China normalization.