Dr. William "Drew" Wagstaff, "China Ascendant"

China has grown rapidly since the late 1970s when Deng Xiaoping first began implementing radical reforms. Today, China challenges the United States militarily in the region and diplomatically around the world. How are we to understand this rise? This presentation provide the context for understanding what China’s growth means for the international community, how Chinese leaders view their place in the world and what problems they must surmount to achieve those goals. 

Dr. William “Drew” Wagstaff (PhD, Emory University) is an Assistant Professor of International Security for the Blue Horizons Program within the USAF Center for Strategy and Technology at Maxwell AFB. Dr. Wagstaff has a number of on-going research projects on terrorism, military effectiveness, peacekeeping, and Chinese politics. Proficient in Mandarin, Dr. Wagstaff has enjoyed traveling China, including cities such as Wuxi, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Tianjin, and Beijing.