Strategic Implications of the Rise of CHina: A Washington Perspective

The Center for Chinese Studies at UC Berkeley presents a discussion of the rise of China with Paul Heer, National Intelligence Officer for East Asia

Speaker: Paul Heer, National Intelligence Officer for East Asia, Office of the Director for Naitonal Intelligence

In the view of many political analysts, China will be the most important foreign policy challenge for the US for several decades. Paul Heer will evaluate China’s strategic ambitions and its perceptions of the international environment, and how they are reflected in Beijing’s regional and global strategies. He will also discuss how the United States fits into Beijing’s equation and the resulting strategic challenge that China represents to the US.

Dr. Paul Heer was appointed to the National Intelligence Council as National Intelligence Officer for East Asia in May 2007, after serving since 1983 as an East Asia specialist in the Directorate of Intelligence at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Dr. Heer began his career as a political foreign policy analyst on Southeast Asia before specializing on China as an analyst and analytic manager. He has served on the staff of the President’s Daily Brief, and is a member of the CIA’s Senior Analytic Service and the Senior Intelligence Service. Dr. Heer was the Visiting Intelligence Fellow on the Council of Foreign Relations during 1999-2000 and was elected a Life Member of the Council in 2001.

He holds a B.A. degree from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa; an M.A. in History from the University of Iowa, and a PH.D in Diplomatic History from The George Washington University. He also has completed the Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and the Executive Leader Program at Northwestern University.