This 2022 book to my knowledge is the first book that surveys the history of China’s space programme.
Written by S Chandrashekar, an Indian professor with the Indian Space Programme, this book explains that the Chinese had a headstart when a top rocket expert and missile pioneer, Quian Xuesen was deported back to China in 1955.
Quian was a student of a US aerospace pioneer. He became an American citizen and made major contributions to the US aerospace efforts.
Unfortunately for the US and fortunately for China Senator McCarthy started a witch hunt for closet communists and Quian was accused of being a spy and deported back to China.
He went on to become the Father of China’s Space Programme.
