Matthew P. Funaiole

Vice President, iDeas Lab, Andreas C. Dracopoulos Chair in Innovation and Senior Fellow, China Power Project
Matthew P. Funaiole

Matthew P. Funaiole is vice president of the Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab, Andreas C. Dracopoulos Chair in Innovation, and a senior fellow with the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). His work applies data-driven policy research to understand and explain geopolitical developments, with particular attention to Chinese foreign policy, dual-use technologies, and strategic competition. Through the Dracopoulos iDeas Lab, Dr. Funaiole works to expand CSIS’s use of data science, geospatial analysis, and computational methods to analyze complex geopolitical dynamics and translate those findings into policy insights. In 2022, he launched the Hidden Reach initiative, which leverages open-source intelligence to uncover poorly understood sources of Chinese influence and examine how China advances its overseas interests through commercial and scientific ventures. From late 2015 through mid-2020, Dr. Funaiole was the principal researcher for the ChinaPower website, where he developed data-driven tools and analysis to examine China’s growing international influence. Before joining CSIS, he taught international relations and foreign policy analysis at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where he completed his doctoral research. Outside of his policy work, Dr. Funaiole pursues creative writing projects and is an avid New England Patriots fan and photography enthusiast. 

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Charting a New Course: Countering China's Dominance in Global Shipbuilding

China has developed the largest shipbuilding industry in recent history and now uses it as an instrument of national power. It is key to Beijing's ambitions to displace the United States as the preeminent power in the Asia-Pacific and project power far from China’s shores.

Congressional Testimony by Matthew P. Funaiole — July 22, 2026

Troubled Straits: Analyzing Trade Chokepoints in the South China Sea

This CSIS brief offers groundbreaking insight into the value and types of goods flowing through eight different South China Sea chokepoints. The analysis reveals each country’s reliance on each chokepoint and challenges assumptions about their relative importance.

Brief by CSIS Scholars — July 1, 2026

Audio Briefs

New Activity at Possible Chinese Intelligence Facilities in Cuba

An audio version of "⁠New Activity at Possible Chinese Intelligence Facilities in Cuba⁠," a new commentary by CSIS’s Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., and Aidan Powers-Riggs. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., and Aidan Powers-Riggs — June 18, 2026

Audio Briefs

A New Supercarrier Emerges

China’s fourth aircraft carrier is rapidly taking shape at Dalian Shipyard. Satellite imagery reveals a vessel likely to be larger and more advanced than its predecessors, with evidence suggesting it may be China’s first nuclear-powered carrier.

Digital Feature by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, Aidan Powers-Riggs, and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. — May 21, 2026

Audio Briefs

The U.S.-China Trade Truce Has Not Solved the Gallium Problem

An audio version of “⁠The U.S.-China Trade Truce Has Not Solved the Gallium Problem⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Aidan Powers-Riggs, Brian Hart, and Matthew P. Funaiole. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Aidan Powers-Riggs, Brian Hart, and Matthew P. Funaiole — May 11, 2026

Audio Briefs

The Strait of Hormuz in 8 Charts

As the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz drags on, new vessel-tracking and trade data reveal the state of play in the strait and explore how the crisis is rattling global markets.

Commentary by Matthew P. Funaiole, Harrison Prétat, Aidan Powers-Riggs, and Jasper Verschuur — April 22, 2026

No One, Not Even Beijing, Is Getting Through the Strait of Hormuz

As war chokes off traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Chinese ships are not getting special treatment. New ship-tracking data shows Chinese vessels have largely halted transits, underscoring Beijing’s exposure to instability in a region critical to its energy security.

Commentary by Harrison Prétat, Monica Sato, Aidan Powers-Riggs, and Matthew P. Funaiole — March 6, 2026