It's a good start to seriously know China and its economy, especially the roles of local administrations which also have been driving the country so far.
Great introduction to how China's economy operates and its development path since Deng Xiaoping's reforms. The lectures are well produced and engaging. They are supported with careful citations and supplemented by reading assignments that anyone can access, meaning you don't need subscriptions to any journals in order to get the articles. The lectures are also supported with excellent visualizations created by the professor himself using great data sources like databases from the World Bank and surveys that he himself had a hand in designing and conducting.
To get the most out of this course I agree that some background in economic theory is necessary, but it's definitely possible to pass it with a good grade even if you've never taken an Economics class before. I also think some previous knowledge and interest in modern China and its history is necessary for a deeper appreciation too. But this is also unnecessary to pass the course, and this course could actually be a gateway to these subjects to people with no previous knowledge of these subjects.
