
Lily McElwee is an adjunct fellow in the in the Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Previously, she served as deputy director and fellow in the Freeman Chair, where she researched China’s foreign policy and relations with the United States, European Union, and the Global South. At CSIS, she co-leads the Interpret: China project and the CSIS-Brookings project Advancing Collaboration in an Era of Strategic Competition. Dr. McElwee is currently writing a book on the history of U.S. investment gatekeeping amid the rise of China, as a Strategy and Policy Fellow with the Smith Richardson Foundation. She has completed fellowships with the American Council on Germany and CSIS-USC U.S.-Korea NextGen scholar program, and is a member of the QUAD Task Force on China’s Strategic Futures organized by ORF America and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. She holds a DPhil in China studies and an MSc from the University of Oxford, and a BA with honors in political science from Stanford University.
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In the News 8 of 35 results
Trump’s tariff onslaught against China launches a battle the US may not be able to win
Lily McElwee in CNN — April 9, 2025
Trump’s unpredictable streak puts Asia on edge
Lily McElwee in The Hill — January 8, 2025
Xi’s RSVP is a snub to Trump, but the inauguration invite is still a big deal
Lily McElwee in CNN — December 13, 2024
Trump called the climate crisis a scam. It could prove a gift to China.
Lily McElwee in Business Insider — November 15, 2024
China’s Failing US Lobby Playbook Puts Tech Companies at Risk
Lily McElwee in Bloomberg — September 18, 2024
Why the US and China continue talks despite their differences | DW News
Lily McElwee in DW — August 30, 2024
China’s Xi Pushes to Keep U.S. Ties Steady Through Bumpy Presidential Race
Lily McElwee in The Wall Street Journal — August 29, 2024
Kamala Harris’s Record Offers Only Hints of a China Worldview
Lily McElwee in The Wall Street Journal — July 31, 2024
All Lily McElwee Content
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Advancing U.S.-China Coordination amid Strategic Competition: An Emerging Playbook
Brief by Ryan Hass, Ryan McElveen, and Lily McElwee — January 15, 2025
Defining Success: Does the United States Need an “End State” for Its China Policy?
Report by Jude Blanchette and Lily McElwee — October 7, 2024
Third Plenum Hot Takes: Skepticism and Concern
Blog Post by Jude Blanchette, Scott Kennedy, Ilaria Mazzocco, Lily McElwee, Claire Reade, Daniel H. Rosen, and Logan Wright — July 22, 2024
Fourteenth Annual South China Sea Conference
Event — July 11, 2024
Report Launch: Europe’s Security Role in the Indo-Pacific
Event — June 26, 2024
The Erosion of Hong Kong’s Autonomy Since 2020: Implications for the United States
Event — May 9, 2024
The Case for U.S.-China Cooperation on Climate-Smart Agriculture
Podcast Episode by Caitlin Welsh, Jude Blanchette, Lily McElwee, Ryan Hass, and Ryan McElveen — May 8, 2024

The Erosion of Hong Kong’s Autonomy since 2020: Implications for the United States
Report by Scott Kennedy, Lily McElwee, and Jude Blanchette — May 7, 2024
The Case for U.S.-China Cooperation on Climate-Smart Agriculture
Commentary by Caitlin Welsh, Jude Blanchette, Lily McElwee, Ryan Hass, and Ryan McElveen — May 7, 2024
The Belt and Road Initiative at 10: Challenges and Opportunities
Event — April 26, 2024