Nadège Rolland

Distinguished Fellow,
China Studies
The National Bureau of Asian Research

[email protected]
+1.202.347.9767
@rollandnadege
Nadège Rolland

Nadège Rolland is Distinguished Fellow, China Studies, at the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR), an American private think-tank based in Seattle and Washington, D.C.

Her research focuses mainly on China’s foreign and defense policy, grand strategy, and the articulation of China’s vision for itself as a great power on the world stage.

Her 2017 book China’s Eurasian Century? Political and Strategic Implications of the Belt and Road Initiative is the first Western analysis to examine the strategic thought and drivers behind the BRI, based on Chinese language sources. She also authored “China’s Vision for a New World Order” (2020), and edited several multi-authored volumes, including “Securing the Belt and Road Initiative: China’s Evolving Military Engagement Along the Silk Roads” (2019), “An Emerging China-Centric Order: China’s Vision for a New World Order in Practice” (2020).

Her most recent project examines where the African continent fits in relation to China’s overall strategic vision and identifies the main instruments used by Beijing to achieve its objectives. “A New Great Game? Situating Africa in China’s Strategic Thinking,” published in June 2021, is the first of a series of reports she edited: “(In)Roads and Outposts: Critical Infrastructure in China’s Africa Strategy” (2022) and “Political Front Lines: China’s Pursuit of Influence in Africa” (2022).

Her articles and essays have appeared in a number of international publications, newspapers, and academic journals.

Prior to joining the NBR, Rolland served for two decades as an analyst and Senior Advisor on Asian and Chinese strategic issues to the French Ministry of Defense, for which she has been awarded the Medal of Honor.

She holds a MA in China studies (summa cum laude) from the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations and a MSc in strategic studies (summa cum laude) from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. She is also a National Taiwan Normal University alumna.

Follow her commentary on Twitter @RollandNadege

Publications

Edited Publications

In the Media

Macron’s China Trip Is a Fool’s Errand (Foreign Policy, Apr 6, 2023)
En Chine, un XXe congrès du Parti communiste pour parachever le règne absolu de Xi Jinping (Libération, Oct 14, 2022)
From COVID to Taiwan: How China Stands Ahead of 20th Party Congress (Newsweek, Oct 13, 2022)
Look to Africa to see China’s ambitions in the Pacific (Sydney Morning Herald, Aug 27, 2022)
China Fires Ballistic Missiles into the Sea Off Taiwan (Radio Free Asia, Aug 4, 2022)
Ghanaian Journalist Makes significant contribution to NBR report on Africa-China relations (Ghana Business News, Jul 19, 2022)
China’s Southern Strategy: Beijing Is Using the Global South to Constrain America (Foreign Affairs, Jun 9, 2022)
“Speed Dating” with Xi: China Shows Off Its New Friends at Beijing Winter Olympics (Financial Times, Feb 14, 2022)
Majlis Podcast: Is China’s Base In Tajikistan A Sign Of Creeping Penetration? (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Oct 24, 2021)
Compromise or coexistence? (The Lowy Institute, Sep 24, 2021)
China and the rules-based order: an à la carte strategy (The Lowy Institute, Sep 24, 2021)
L’université est l’une des portes d’entrée de la stratégie d’influence chinoise ( Libération, Jul 27, 2021)
Dans les facs françaises, des travaux dirigés par Pékin ( Libération, Jul 26, 2021)
Au Tibet, Xi Jinping affiche ses ambitions régionales (Le Figaro, Jul 23, 2021)
Asie de l’Est: quelles stratégies face au duel China/USA ? (Radio France Internationale (Géopolitique), Jul 23, 2021)
The new world of Xi Jinping (Arte TV, Jul 1, 2021)
A Full-Spectrum Response to Sharp Power: The Vulnerabilities and Strengths of Open Societies (NED (conference), Jun 18, 2021)
Comment la Chine s’infiltre en Suisse (RTS Temps Présent, Jun 10, 2021)
China In Eurasia Briefing: Can Beijing Export Its Model Around The World? (Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Jul 7, 2021)
Marking Communist Centenary, China Heralds Its Rising Influence (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Jul 1, 2021)
China’s Belt and Road Initiative : Reading Beyond the Benign Narrative (Reconnaissance Research (Koweit), May 11, 2021)
Wolf warrior’ diplomats reveal China’s ambitions (Financial Times, May 11, 2021)
Episode 54 – Nadège Rolland (China) ( Global Law and Business, May 4, 2021)
US-China Relations: A Lingering Crisis” in The China Story Yearbook 2020 : Crisis, Jane Golley, Linda Jaivin Eds. (Australian National University, Apr 1, 2021)
La Nouvelle Route de la Soie (U.S. Embassy Algiers Public Diplomacy, Mar 31, 2021)
Belt and Road Initiative : la Chine tisse sa toile (France Culture (Cultures monde), Mar 23, 2021)
U.S. vs. China: Biden Bets on Alliances to Push Back against Beijing (Financial Times, Mar 3, 2021)
China’s Counteroffensive in the War of Ideas ( Lowy Institute Interpreter, Feb 24, 2021)
A New World Order, According to Beijing (International Centre for Defence and Security, Feb 17, 2021)
Foreign Policy Virtual Dialogue: China and the Global Fight for Democracy (Foreign Policy, Feb 3, 2021)
China Plans To Sell COVID-19 Vaccines To Other Countries (NPR, Jan 11, 2021)
Commanding Ideas: Think Tanks as Platforms for Authoritarian Influence (National Endowment for Democracy, Dec 15, 2020)
Un an de coronavirus : la Chine sort-elle plus forte de la crise? (France Culture, (Le temps du débat), Dec 7, 2020)
Asie-Pacifique : qui pourra s’opposer à la puissance chinoise? ( France Culture (Cultures monde), Nov 27, 2020)
China’s Vision for World Order and Its Belt and Road Initiative (Maritime Security Challenges Conference, Oct 20, 2020)
Fueling U.S.-China Clash, Years of Disconnects (Christian Science Monitor, Oct 2, 2020)
Death of Trade Deal with China Could be “October Surprise” (Politico, Sep 10, 2020)
The Battle for Africa (The Lowy Institute Interpreter, Jun 21, 2021)
China’s Pandemic Power Play (Journal of Democracy, Jul 30, 2020)
The Pacific Century Talks With Nadege Rolland (The Pacific Century, Jun 11, 2020)
Is a China-Led World Order Inevitable? (Asia Times, May 27, 2020)
Nadège Rolland: Pékin joue un jeu extrêmement dangereux (Liberation, May 25, 2020)
China’s Belt and Road Initiative: A Story of Assessment and Strategic Adaptation (Institute of World Politics, May 17, 2021)
Chine, États-Unis : l’escalade (France Culture (Affaires étrangères), May 23, 2022)
The U.S. vs. China – A New Cold War? (DW Akademie, May 22, 2020)
China Is Already Shaping Us More Than We Think ( deVolkskrant, May 8, 2020)
A “China Model?” Beijing’s Promotion of Alternative Global Norms and Standards (The Macdonald-Laurier Institute, May 6, 2020)
Put on a mask and shut up’: China’s ‘Wolf Warriors’ spread hoaxes and attack a world of critics (Los Angeles Times, May 4, 2020)
China’s post-pandemic shopping spree: how coronavirus strengthens the Belt and Road Initiative (Sydney Morning Herald, May 1, 2021)
As China and U.S. Trade Barbs, Washington Nudges ASEAN Nations on South China Sea (VOA Cambodia, Apr 29, 2020)
China Is Overreaching in Bid for Greater Global Influence amid Coronavirus Pandemic, U.S. Advisers Aay (South China Morning Post, Apr 28, 2020)
L’OMS, une organisation affaiblie face à la stratégie sanitaire chinoise (Le Monde, Apr 28, 2020)
1 Big Thing: With Global Leadership at Stake, China and U.S. both Fumble (Axios, Apr 15, 2020)
China’s bid to repair its coronavirus-hit image is backfiring in the West (Washington Post, Apr 14, 2021)
Coronavirus Puts a Bump in China’s Belt and Road Investment Plan (South China Morning Post, Feb 10, 2020)
China’s Digital Silk Road is looking more like an iron curtain (Bloomberg Businessweek, Jan 10, 2021)
The Costs of China’s Belt and Road Expansion (Atlantic, Jan 9, 2020)
China’s Central Asian Plans Are Unnerving Moscow (Foreign Policy, Dec 23, 2019)
Four Theories of Modern China (American Interest, Nov 19, 2021)
Laos Villagers Give $6.7bn Belt and Road Railway a Hostile Reception (Financial Times, Oct 30, 2019)
The Next Phase of the Belt and Road (Podcast) (Rules Based Audio, Oct 8, 2019)
Mapping a Footprint of Belt and Road Influence Operations (Sinopsis, Aug 12, 2019)
Winning Without Fighting: Chinese And Russian Political Warfare Campaigns And How The West Can Prevail, Volume II: Case Studies (Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, Jul 24, 2019)
China’s Xi Rallies Asia by Appealing to Shared Culture—with Subtle Dig at U.S. (Washington Post, May 15, 2019)
Beijing’s Response to the Belt And Road Initiative’s “Pushback”: A Story of Assessment and Adaptation (Asian Affairs, May 3, 2019)
Is This the End of Belt and Road, or Just the Beginning? (ChinaFile, Apr 24, 2019)
Europe : face à la Chine, l’unité infuse (Libération, Mar 25, 2019)
Route de la Soie : la Chine entame sa longue marche en Europe (Public Sénat, Mar 25, 2019)
Italy, China Deepen Ties under Wary Eyes of U.S., EU ( PBS News Hour, Mar 22, 2019)
Jaw-Jaw: The Geo-Economic Challenge of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (War on the Rocks, Mar 5, 2019)
Majlis Podcast: China’s Security Interests In Central Asia (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Feb 24, 2019)
Reports of Belt and Road’s Death Are Greatly Exaggerated (Foreign Affairs, Jan 29, 2019)
A China–Russia Condominium over Eurasia (Survival: Global Politics and Strategy February–March 2019, Jan 28, 2019)
Book Review: China’s Eurasian Century? Political and Strategic Implications of the Belt and Road Initiative (New Mandala, Oct 21, 2018)
Xi Jinping, l’enfant humilié devenu maître du monde (Libération, Dec 13, 2018)
The Belt and Road in Europe: 5 Years Later (Diplomat, Sep 1, 2018)
China has a vastly ambitious plan to connect the world (Economist, Jul 28, 2018)
Beijing’s Vision for a Reshaped International Order (China Brief, Feb 26, 2018)
Den kinesiska drömmen på export (Exporting the Chinese Dream) (Sveriges Radio, Dec 9, 2017)
The Belt and Road Initiative: China’s Grand Strategy? (Grand Designs: Does China Have a Grand Strategy?, Oct 18, 2017)
Trump’s China Visit Will Help Avoid ‘trade war, currency war or whatever war’ Chinese Ambassador Says (South China Morning Post, Sep 21, 2017)
Book Presentation at ECFR Paris Event (ECFR Paris, Jul 11, 2017)
Why Does China Want to Revive the Silk Road? (BBC World Service, Jun 25, 2017)
China Pushes Belt and Road Despite Domestic Concerns – Analysis (Eurasia Review, Jun 20, 2017)
Chinese Cash Blunts Europe’s Criticism of Beijing’s Human-Rights Record (Wall Street Journal, Jun 19, 2017)
Why the Belt & Road Initiative? (National Interest, Jun 8, 2017)
All aboard the Belt and Road Initiative? Not so fast… (The Interpreter, Jun 7, 2017)
China’s New Silk Road Is about More Than Money (Foreign Policy, Jun 1, 2016)
The Evolution of China’s Belt and Road: A Conversation with Nadège Rolland (Power 3.0, Jan 8, 2019)
A grand strategy with Chinese Characteristics ( All Things Policy, Mar 30, 2020)
Unwrapping the Belt and Road: Chinese Perspectives (George Washington University Central Asia Program, Mar 8, 2016)
China and the Developing World (Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law, Feb 24, 2016)
La nouvelle Route de la soie. Les ambitions chinoises en Eurasie (Politique étrangère, 2015/3 Automne, Oct 1, 2015)
A Fiber Optic Silk Road (Diplomat, Apr 2, 2015)