Robert Wihtol

This publication is a history of the partnership between the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) spanning three decades. Since joining ADB in 1986, the PRC has evolved from being a poor and predominantly agrarian economy to an upper-middle-income manufacturing and services powerhouse that has become a leading international source of financial, technical, and knowledge cooperation. This historically unprecedented transformation has shaped every aspect of the ADB–PRC relationship. The successful partnership owes much to the PRC's unique approach to developing its economy, and offers valuable lessons for other countries and development partners.