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 iDeas Lab, Andreas C. Dracopoulos Chair in Innovation, and senior fellow in the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He specializes in using data-driven research to address complex policy issues, with a focus on Chinese foreign policy, dual-use technology, and maritime trade. 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 strategic interests through commercial and scientific ventures. From late 2015 through mid-2020, he was the principal researcher for the ChinaPower website. Prior to joining CSIS, Dr. Funaiole taught international relations and foreign policy analysis at the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland, where he also completed his doctoral research. Dr. Funaiole is also engaged in several creative writing projects, and he is an avid photography enthusiast. 

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Ship Wars: Confronting China’s Dual-Use Shipbuilding Empire

China is leveraging its globally dominant commercial shipbuilding industry to support its naval modernization—and foreign companies are inadvertently helping. This report outlines how the United States and its partners can confront China's dual-use shipyards.

Report by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, and Aidan Powers-Riggs — March 11, 2025

ChinaPower

China’s Polar Ambitions: A Conversation with Dr. Matthew Funaiole and Mr. Brian Hart

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Matthew Funaiole and Mr. Brian Hart join us to discuss China’s ambitions in the polar regions. They start by explaining China’s scientific, commercial, strategic, and diplomatic interests in the polar regions and how the polar regions fit into China’s broader strategy of leveraging “new strategic frontiers” to expand its influence, outpace rivals, and set global rules and norms.

Podcast Episode by Bonny Lin, Matthew P. Funaiole, and Brian Hart — January 16, 2025

CSIS ChinaPower
Audio Briefs

China Makes Progress on Its Fifth Antarctic Research Station

An audio version of “China Makes Progress on Its Fifth Antarctic Research Station,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, Aidan Powers-Riggs, Jennifer Jun, and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, Aidan Powers-Riggs, Jennifer Jun, and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. — December 20, 2024

Audio Briefs

China Makes Progress on Its Fifth Antarctic Research Station

New satellite imagery, including images captured using synthetic aperture radar, shows recent construction progress at Qinling Station, China's newest research station in Antarctica.

Commentary by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, Aidan Powers-Riggs, Jennifer Jun, and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. — December 19, 2024

China’s Intelligence Footprint in Cuba: New Evidence and Implications for U.S. Security

China’s deepening ties with Cuba are opening doors for its military and intelligence services there. Satellite imagery and other open-source information offer an unprecedented look at facilities in Cuba likely to be supporting China’s efforts to spy on the United States.

Brief by Matthew P. Funaiole, Aidan Powers-Riggs, Brian Hart, Henry Ziemer, Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Ryan C. Berg, and Christopher Hernandez-Roy — December 6, 2024

Examining PRC Activities in the Arctic

Please join the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 9:30am EDT for a conversation with Iris A. Ferguson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Arctic and Global Resilience, on PRC activities in the Arctic.

Event — December 5, 2024

Crossroads of Commerce: How the Taiwan Strait Propels the Global Economy

This report provides an unprecedented look at the Taiwan Strait’s role in global trade, revealing that over one-fifth of all maritime commerce passes through this vital waterway. China possesses a range of non-kinetic options it may employ to coerce Taiwan, which could significantly disrupt this trade.
 

Digital Report by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, David Peng, Bonny Lin, and Jasper Verschuur — October 10, 2024

How China Could Blockade Taiwan

China has options other than invasion to try to force Taiwan’s unification, one of which is a blockade. This report explores the potential motivations and strategic calculus for a blockade and maps out possible scenarios of how China could approach blockade operations.

Digital Report by Bonny Lin, Brian Hart, Matthew P. Funaiole, Truly Tinsley, and Samantha Lu — August 22, 2024

Audio Briefs

China’s Massive Next-Generation Amphibious Assault Ship Takes Shape

An audio version of “China’s Massive Next-Generation Amphibious Assault Ship Takes Shape,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, Aidan Powers-Riggs, and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, Aidan Powers-Riggs, and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. — August 2, 2024

Audio Briefs