China Policy Expert to Visit New Zealand

China's Foreign Investment Strategy: What are they after and should we be afraid?

Dr John Lee, an expert in Chinese political economy and foreign policy, is visiting New Zealand to speak at events hosted by The New Zealand Initiative in Auckland and Wellington on 26 and 27 June respectively.

A world renowned expert on China, Dr Lee is regularly asked to brief ministerial and secretarial level officials in the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, India and Australia, and is one of the few Australians ever invited to formally testify to United States Congressional committees such as the US-China Security and Economic Review Commission.

Dr Lee has contributed opinion pieces to over forty leading newspapers and magazines in America, Europe, Asia and Australia, including the Washington Post, New York Times, Times of London, Wall Street Journal, Global Times, Time, Forbes, Der Speigel, International Herald Tribune, Business Week, Newsweek, The Australian and the Sydney Morning Herald. He is a frequent radio and television commentator in America, Europe, Asia and Australia. His articles are published in leading policy and academic journals.

Dr Lee's presentations to The New Zealand Initiative will be focused on what Chinese state-owned-enterprises (SOEs) want to achieve in foreign markets, and whether we should be wary or even afraid of their increasing activity. The vast majority of Chinese outbound investment is by SOEs, yet little is known about the relationship between the Chinese Communist Party and SOEs, or how these companies are actually run.

Dr Lee is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Sydney University's Centre for International Security Studies. The Centre for International Security Studies was established in 2006 in conjunction with the Michael Hintze Chair of International Security to analyse international and human security challenges facing Australia, Asia and the world. The Centre produces multidisciplinary academic research and education programmes focusing on international security and foreign policy issues, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.

Dr Lee gained his first class honours degrees in Arts (Philosophy) and Laws from the University of New South Wales, and his Masters and Doctorate degrees from the University of Oxford whilst on a Chevening Scholarship.

ENDS

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