John Lee, Director
Based in Europe and having previously worked for the Australian government, John brings a range of experience and an interdisciplinary perspective to complex and fast-changing questions about China’s development and impacts on the world.
John’s commissioned research focuses on several fields:
China’s semiconductor-related industries and their global relations
China’s cyberspace governance and data regulatory regime
Future telecommunications networks and the Internet of Things
China’s automotive sector and the global electric vehicle transition
Robotics and embodied AI
John has been quoted in the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Washington Post, MIT Technology Review, The World, The Guardian, Bloomberg, South China Morning Post, The Australian, The Edge, NPR, Politico, Voice of America, ABC, Wired UK, TechMonitor, The Wire China, t3n, Protocol, The Week India, Deutsche Welle, France24, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Handelsblatt, Cicero, Techzine.eu and other global media outlets.
His commentaries and analysis have been published in Le Monde Diplomatique, The National Interest, the Australian Financial Review, South China Morning Post, the Japan Times, Asian Politics & Policy, The Diplomat, ISEAS Fulcrum, Lowy Interpreter, East Asia Forum, ChinaFile, SupChina, ThinkChina, Limes Review of Geopolitics and others.
John has been interviewed on podcasts including MoneyTalks (the Economist), the China Global South podcast, China Global Podcast (GMFUS) and State of Asia (Asia Society).
John holds Masters degrees from the Australian National University and King’s College London. He is an admitted Australian legal practitioner.
Current affiliations:
TOY Senior Fellow with Asia Society Switzerland (https://asiasociety.org/switzerland/john-lee-named-2025-toy-senior-fellow-asia-society-switzerland)
Fellow with Center for China Analysis at Asia Society Policy Institute (https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/john-lee-and-ambassador-pierre-andrieu-join-asia-society-policy-institutes-center-china-analysis)
Leiden Asia Centre (https://leidenasiacentre.nl/people/john-lee/)
Ongoing research projects:
China Semiconductor Observatory (project funded by the European Union)
(https://www.stiftung-nv.de/en/publication/china-semiconductor-observatory-baseline-report)
Chinese role in next-generation automotive and artificial intelligence-enabled sectors (ISEAS)
China’s Role in Cyber Security (Leiden Asian Centre)
(https://leidenasiacentre.nl/chinas-role-in-cyber-security/)
Digital Power China research consortium
(https://timruhlig.eu/p/strategic-autonomy-report)
Previous affiliations:
Visiting fellow, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, National University of Singapore (Dec 2023 – Mar 2024, Nov 2024 – Feb 2025)
Senior Analyst, Mercator Institute for China Studies
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Australian Department of Defence
East West Futures Consulting 