Reddit mentions of China: Fragile Superpower

>because they really don't care if their people suffer because of it.

This isnt accurate at all. Since they opened to the west they have become VERY susceptible to protests. They cannot afford to go back in time, specially with a westernizing youth.

"China's leaders face a troubling paradox: the more developed and prosperous the country becomes, the more insecure and threatened they feel... ever since the 1989 pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square and the fall of communism in the Soviet Union, Chinese leaders have been afraid of its own citizens, and this fear motivates many of their decisions when dealing with the U.S. and other nations. In particular, the fervent nationalism of the Chinese people, combined with their passionate resentment of Japan and attachment to Taiwan, have made relations with this country a minefield"

https://www.amazon.com/China-Superpower-Susan-L-Shirk/dp/0195373197

I liked Susan Shirk's book China: Fragile Superpower.

I'm not sure it will be relevant going forward. I'd probably stick with the fundamentals, any analysis will not be anticipating what will happen in the next few years.