Understanding 21st-century China, according to Colonel Pedro Baños, requires a fresh perspective on Sun Tzu. In The Tao of War: The Eternal Strategies of Chinese Power (Editorial Ariel), Baños presents a new annotated reading of The Art of War, featuring an unpublished translation by sinologist Gabriel García-Noblejas, along with a lesser-known Taoist text in Spain, The Three Arts of War by the Duke of Jade. This book launches a new collection by the author, aimed at reinterpreting great classics of strategic thought through the lens of the 21st century.
Baños needs no introduction for those following geopolitics in Spanish: a retired colonel in the Army, he was the head of Counterintelligence and Security for the European Army Corps in Strasbourg, trained in countries such as Turkey, Israel, and China, and is the author of bestsellers like This Is How You Dominate the World and Mental Domination. In this work, he shifts focus: rather than analyzing the current geopolitical landscape, he delves into the source that, he argues, continues to shape decision-making in Beijing.
The approach is clear. Baños organizes Sun Tzu’s maxims into major thematic blocks—espionage, leadership, troops, tactics, command, logistics—and connects them to contemporary issues: how China avoids direct confrontation, prioritizes economic and technological development, and builds global influence without resorting to open warfare. In a recent interview, Baños succinctly described the West’s error: we continue to analyze the world from the belief that our model is superior, and this arrogance prevents us from understanding other power dynamics.
It is important to clarify something against what is often marketed in press releases: this is not a book about the Belt and Road Initiative, nor about supply chains, with chapters dedicated to those topics. It is, above all, an extensive commentary on Sun Tzu, with Baños’ geopolitical reading serving as the guiding thread. Those seeking a comprehensive analysis of current Chinese commercial strategy might find less economics and more classical military philosophy than they anticipated. In fact, among the few readers who have already reviewed it, some point out precisely the opposite: that the philosophical foundation is well articulated, but there is a noticeable drift towards the Chinese theme that some may find excessive in a commentary on Sun Tzu.
For GoAragón readers, especially those doing business with Asia, the book holds real value: understanding the logic of «winning without fighting» can enhance one’s grasp of negotiations, silences, and timing with Chinese counterparts. However, it is advisable to approach it knowing what it exactly is: a translated and annotated Sun Tzu with a geopolitical compass, not a manual on 21st-century Chinese commercial strategy.
