Freeman Chair in China Studies
The Freeman Chair in China Studies is a leading source of insight and analysis on China’s evolving political system and the dynamics that impact its domestic policy agenda and external behavior
The Freeman Chair in China Studies is a leading source of insight and analysis on China’s evolving political system and the dynamics that impact its domestic policy agenda and external behavior. Our mission is to shape the public policy debate by providing timely and objective analysis that challenges the status quo and informs policymakers, the public, and corporate executives on the most important issues impacting China’s political trajectory.
Our work focuses on five key areas:
- Leadership politics
- Policy- and decisionmaking
- Party-state governance
- Political discourse and the role of ideology
- Sources of political stability and risk
CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies was established in the late 1990s to advance the study of China and to promote understanding between the United States and the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. The Freeman Chair in China Studies was founded and continues to be guided by the principles of Houghton “Buck” Freeman (1921-2010).
Contact Information
- Michael Knaak
- Program Manager, Freeman Chair in China Studies
- 202-775-7316
- mknaak@csis.org
Media Queries
- H. Andrew Schwartz
- Chief Communications Officer
- 202.775.3242
- aschwartz@csis.org
- Paige Montfort
- Media Relations Manager, External Relations
- 202.775.3173
- pmontfort@csis.org
Current Projects
Interpret: China is a Freeman Chair in China Studies project that seeks to enable a more objective understanding of China through the translation and analysis of primary source material.
The project seeks to transform how policymakers, companies, researchers, journalists and the broader public understand China.
Featured Analysis

Photo: Chien Chih-Hung/Office of The President/Getty Images
Speaker Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit: Implications for the Indo-Pacific
CSIS experts explore the regional implications of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and provide insight into the trajectory of this crisis.
Critical Questions by Jude Blanchette , Charles Edel , Christopher B. Johnstone , Scott Kennedy , Victor Cha , Ellen Kim , and Gregory B. Poling — August 15, 2022

Central Questions in U.S.-China Relations amid Global Turbulence
Commentary by Ryan Hass and Jude Blanchette — July 21, 2022

Best and Bosom Friends: Why China-Russia Ties Will Deepen after Russia’s War on Ukraine
Brief by Andrea Kendall-Taylor and David O. Shullman — June 22, 2022
All content by Freeman Chair in China Studies
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U.S.–China Relations in the Tank: A Handbook for an Era of Persistent Confrontation
Brief by Michael J. Mazarr — November 18, 2022
CCP Inc. in Portugal: China's Investments in Financial Services and the Reach of the Chinese Communist Party in the Private Sector
Report by Andrew Polk — November 15, 2022

Unpacking the U.S. National Security Strategy
Podcast Episode by Michael J. Green and Jude Blanchette — November 7, 2022

Unpacking the 20th Party Congress
Transcript — October 28, 2022
Political Selection of Local Cadres
Podcast Episode by Jude Blanchette — October 27, 2022

Unpacking the 20th Party Congress
Event by Bonny Lin , Jude Blanchette , Scott Kennedy , Daniel H. Rosen , Dr. David Finkelstein , and Ms. Lucy Hornby — October 25, 2022
CCP Inc. in Greece: State Grid and China’s Role in the Greek Energy Sector
Report by Briana Boland , Jude Blanchette , Andrew Polk , and Cory Combs — October 19, 2022
India’s Evolving Partnerships
Podcast Episode by Michael J. Green and Jude Blanchette — October 17, 2022

