Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Globalization-security interconnections with reference to semiconductors;
- Economic statecraft in the realm of semiconductors;
- Theory and practice of sovereignty;
- Chinese foreign policy;
- Cross-Strait Relations.
Current research
Problematic sovereignty along China's periphery:
This interdisciplinary project aims to present the first comprehensive analysis of evolving sovereignty within three peripheral regions of China. Grounded in extensive field research, which includes over 210 interviews with key stakeholders rarely featured in mainstream studies, the study explores how and why certain aspects of sovereignty have changed in these polities. It sheds light on the intricate and contested nature of Chinese sovereignty in these areas. Going beyond the traditional boundaries of international relations (IR), area studies, and political geography, this project contributes to a nuanced understanding of Chinese politics and enriches sovereignty studies within the field of IR literature.
This current research project has received funding through two rounds of research grants from the Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange, as well as the University of Southampton's Annual Adventures in Research Award.
The outcomes of this study are expected to lead to several journal articles and a research monograph, titled 'Achilles Heel of the Dragon – Problematic Sovereignty along China’s Periphery.
Economic Statecraft and Semiconductor Supply Chain Vulnerability in the United States, China and Taiwan:
This new research project aims to solve the following research puzzles: What is driving the American, Chinese, and Taiwanese pursuit of strategic objectives in the arena of semiconductors? How does economic statecraft work in both domestically oriented and externally oriented arenas in the three cases? What makes it more or less effective, and how is this significant?
It draws insights from international political economy and security studies to critically examine the efficacy of economic statecraft in managing insecurity in the realm of semiconductors in a comparative study through rigorous research involving mixed methods, with the aim to contribute to the literature on economic statecraft and pertinent policy debates.