Selected Publications


The Defense AI Observatory. 2023. ‘“Overtaking on the Curve?” Defense AI in China’ (https://defenseai.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/daio_study2313_overtaking_on_the_curve_john_lee.pdf )

The Carter Center. 2023. ‘Finding Firmer Ground: The Role of High Technology in U.S.-China Relations’ (https://www.cartercenter.org/news/pr/2023/china-020723.html)

The Stiftung Neue Verantwortung. 2023. ‘China Semiconductor Observatory – Baseline Report’ (https://www.stiftung-nv.de/en/publication/china-semiconductor-observatory-baseline-report)

German Council of Foreign Relations (DGAP). 2023. ‘Europe’s Strategic Technology Autonomy From China’ Chapter: ‘Challenges of a rising Chinese chip design ecosystem’ (https://dgap.org/en/research/publications/europes-strategic-technology-autonomy-china)

South China Morning Post. 2023. ‘US-China decoupling: Beijing has options beyond Russia in navigating geopolitics of technology’ (https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3202213/us-china-decoupling-beijing-has-options-beyond-russia-navigating-geopolitics-technology)

Think China. 2023. ‘Will US chip controls work on China?’ (https://www.thinkchina.sg/will-us-chip-controls-work-china)

The Australia-China Relations Institute (UTS:ACRI). 2022. ‘China-Russia Cooperation in Advanced Technologies: The Future Global Balance of Power and the Limits of ‘Unlimited’ Partnership’ (https://www.australiachinarelations.org/content/china-russia-cooperation-advanced-technologies-future-global-balance-power-and-limits)

Directions: Cyber Digital Europe. 2022. ‘Taiwan, China and Semiconductors’ (https://directionsblog.eu/taiwan-china-and-semiconductors/ )

‘The CPC and Sovereignty in a Digitally Connected World’.  2022. In Frank N. Pieke and Bert Hofman (eds). CPC Futures: The New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics (The NUS E-Press: CPC Futures)

 ‘Ask the Experts: Is China’s Semiconductor Strategy Working?’ Ask the Experts: Is China’s Semiconductor Strategy Working? | China Dialogues (lse.ac.uk) 

International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)’. 2022. ‘Strategic Settings for 6G: Pathways for China and the US’ (https://www.iiss.org/blogs/research-paper/2022/08/strategic-settings-for-6G-pathways-for-china-and-the-US)

IFRI – Institut français des relations internationales . 2022. ‘Cyberspace Governance in China: Evolution, Features and Future Trends’ ; (https://www.ifri.org/en/publications/notes-de-lifri/asie-visions/cyberspace-governance-china-evolution-features-and-future)

Leiden Asia Centre. 2022. ‘China’s Standardisation System – trends, implications and case studies in emerging technologies’; (https://leidenasiacentre.nl/chinas-standardisation-system-trends-implications-and-case-studies-in-emerging-technologies/ )

The Digital Power China research consortium (DPC). With Jan-Peter Kleinhans. 2022. “Europe’s dependence on Chinese semiconductor manufacturing”. China’s Digital Power: Assessing the Implications for the EU; (https://timruhlig.eu/ctf/assets/x93kiko5rt7l/4uiZoNQtRkni5KfuNDrBbx/fd52e3320cfe21e6b304ad31d81279d8/DPC-full_report-FINAL.pdf)

Lowy Institue. 2020. ‘China, Australia, and the Internet of Things’ ; (China, Australia, and the Internet of Things (lowyinstitute.org))

Lowy Institute. 2021. ‘THE INTERNET OF THINGS: CHINA’S RISE AND AUSTRALIA’S CHOICES.; (https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/internet-things-chinas-rise-and-australias-choices)

Oxford Analytica. 2021. ‘ Washington will rethink its foreign chip strategy’ ;(https://dailybrief.oxan.com/Analysis/ES265681/Washington-will-rethink-its-foreign-chip-strategy)

Mercator Institute for China Studies and Stiftung Neue Verantwortung. With Jan-Peter Kleinhans. 2021. ‘China’s rise in semiconductors and Europe: Recommendations for policy makers’. ; (https://merics.org/en/report/chinas-rise-semiconductors-and-europe-recommendations-policy-makers)

John Lee. 2021. “Taiwan: Microchips as a Life Insurance Policy”. Limes, Italian Review of Geopolitics. (https://www.limesonline.com/cartaceo/i-microchip-come-polizza-per-la-vita)

John Lee and Jan-Peter Kleinhans. 2021. “Mapping China’s semiconductor ecosystem in global context: Strategic dimensions and conclusions.”; (https://merics.org/en/report/mapping-chinas-semiconductor-ecosystem-global-context-strategic-dimensions-and-conclusions)

MERICS. 2021. ‘The Connection of Everything: China and the Internet of Things’; (https://merics.org/en/report/connection-everything-china-and-internet-things)

MERICS. 2021. “The CCP’s Next Century: expanding economic control, digital governance and national security.” (https://merics.org/en/report/ccps-next-century-expanding-economic-control-digital-governance-and-national-security)

RUSI. 2021. “Blocking the Flow: Data legislation and the EU-US-China triangle.”; (https://www.transatlantic-dialogue-on-china.rusi.org/article/international-data-transfers)

MERICS / European Chamber of Commerce in China. 2021. “Decoupling – Severed Ties and Patchwork Globalization”. (https://merics.org/en/report/decoupling-severed-ties-and-patchwork-globalisation)

With Jan-Peter Kleinhans. The Diplomat. 2020. “Would China Invade Taiwan for TSMC?”; (https://thediplomat.com/2020/12/would-china-invade-taiwan-for-tsmc/)

With Jan-Peter Kleinhans. The Diplomat. 2020. “Taiwan, Chips, and Geopolitics: Part 1”.; (https://thediplomat.com/2020/12/taiwan-chips-and-geopolitics-part-1/)

The Diplomat. 2020. “The Global War for 5G Heats up”.; (https://thediplomat.com/2020/08/the-global-war-for-5g-heats-up/)

With Peter Layton. The China Story. 2020. “Principles of Australian grand strategy for China.”; (https://www.thechinastory.org/principles-of-australian-grand-strategy-for-china/)

The Diplomat. 2020. “China Steps up the Long March to 5G”; (https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/china-steps-up-the-long-march-to-5g)

The China Story. 2020. “Will China reinvent the Internet?”; (https://www.thechinastory.org/will-china-reinvent-the-internet/)

John Lee. 2019. “If Hong Kong jumps, the alternative is Shenzhen”. Limes, Italian Review of Geopolitics; (https://www.limesonline.com/cartaceo/se-hong-kong-salta-lalternativa-e-Shenzhen)

John Lee. 2019. “What should Australia do about PRC-US technology competition?” China Matters; (https://chinamatters.org.au/policy-brief/policy-brief-november-2019/)

‘Decoupling from China: Cutting the Gordian Knot’. Lowy Interpreter, 9/11/2018; (https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/decoupling-china-cutting-gordian-knot)

‘Killing Chimerica’. Lowy Interpreter, 19/10/2018; (https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/killing-chimerica)

‘The Twelve Regions of China: Past and Present’. The Diplomat, 17/7/2017 (series of seventeen articles published July-August 2017); (http://thediplomat.com/2017/07/the-12-regions-of-china/)

‘The Rise of China’s Tech Sector: The Digital Great Game’. Lowy Interpreter, 5/5/2017; (https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/rise-china-s-tech-sector-digital-great-game)

‘The Rise of China’s Tech Sector: The Making of an Internet Empire’. Lowy Interpreter, 4/5/2017; (https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/rise-china-s-tech-sector-making-internet-empire)

‘The New Chinese Diaspora’. Lowy Interpreter, 31/3/2017; (https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/new-chinese-diaspora)

‘Floating nuclear plants and safety zones: Another looming problem in the South China Sea?’ Lowy Interpreter, 26/8/2016; (https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/floating-nuclear-plants-and-safety-zones-another-looming-problem-south-china-sea)

‘South China Sea: The Problems of an Ambitious Award’. Asian Politics & Policy 9(1) January 2017 (republished); (https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2016/08/26/south-china-sea-the-problems-of-an-ambitious-award) (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aspp.12301/epdf)

‘China’s interests at stake in the South China Sea ruling.’ East Asia Forum, 2/8/2016; (http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2016/08/02/chinas-interests-at-stake-in-the-south-china-sea-ruling)

‘Where to for China’s “historic rights” in the South China Sea?’ The Diplomat, 2/8/2016; (http://thediplomat.com/2016/08/what-now-for-chinas-historic-rights-in-the-south-china-sea/)

‘The China’s diaspora’s role in the rise of China’. East Asia Forum, 15/9/2016; (http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2016/09/14/the-chinese-diasporas-role-in-the-rise-of-china/)

‘Innovation in China: more than a fast follower?’ The Diplomat, 9/6/16; (http://thediplomat.com/2016/06/innovation-in-china-more-than-a-fast-follower/)

‘The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: An Australian Response.’ Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Policy Analysis series, March 2008; (https://www.aspi.org.au/report/shanghai-cooperation-organisation-australian-response)