The Diplomat | Author
Ben Lowsen
Ben Lowsen is a Sinologist and military strategist. The views expressed are his own and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
Ben Lowsen is a specialist in Chinese political and security affairs working as a China advisor for the U.S. Air Force’s Checkmate office. He previously worked as an Asia advisor for the U.S. Navy and served in the U.S. Army as a field artillery officer and China specialist. He completed tours of duty in Germany, Korea, Qatar, the Pentagon, and two tours in China, serving as Assistant U.S. Army Attaché in Beijing from 2013 to 2016.
Ben’s experience includes policy and strategy coordination, military-to-military engagement, intelligence production and analysis, and bilateral negotiation. He is interested in Chinese political and military culture as well as military modernization, reform, and strategy.
He is an active writer and speaker whose publications include book chapters, reportage, and commentary. He received an M.A. from Harvard’s Regional Studies—East Asia committee and a B.A. from U.C. Santa Barbara in music performance. Follow him on Twitter.
The views expressed are his own and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
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July 30, 2019
China’s New Defense White Paper: Reading Between the Lines
By Ben Lowsen
Beijing walks a tightrope between peace and its conception of great power status.
July 09, 2019
What China Experts Miss about China and the US
By Ben Lowsen
A competitive stance is essential to working with China.
June 29, 2019
Is It Time for the United States to Recognize Taiwan?
By Ben Lowsen
No, but all options are on the table.
February 06, 2019
US-China Relations in Flux: The Road to a Showdown
By Ben Lowsen
The United States is for the first time substantively responding to China’s rejection of international norms.
January 30, 2019
China’s New Maximalism in Three Slogans
By Ben Lowsen
Beijing ups the rhetorical ante.
January 03, 2019
Does Sino-US Competition Mean a Zero Sum Game?
By Ben Lowsen
It may, but it doesn’t have to.
October 16, 2018
China’s Cultural Genocide and the Conscience of Nations
By Ben Lowsen
As China does its worst, the world must uphold the best.
October 13, 2018
China's Diplomacy Has a Monster in its Closet
By Ben Lowsen
Ultra-nationalism is damaging China’s credibility as its ambassadors indulge in curious, chauvinistic and all-too-official tirades.
May 10, 2018
Why Is China Attacking US Aircraft?
By Ben Lowsen
China’s habit is to flout the rules, but a reckoning is coming.
March 21, 2018
Is China Abandoning Its 'No First Use' Nuclear Policy?
By Ben Lowsen
China is modernizing its nuclear arsenal. Will this affect its “No First Use” nuclear policy?
February 04, 2018
Is China Inflicting a 'Century of Humiliation' on the World?
By Ben Lowsen
China's questionable practices and laissez-faire attitude are buying it a reputation similar to the colonial powers that once tormented it.
November 14, 2017
The 19th Party Congress and Its Implications for the PLA
By Ben Lowsen
Xi Jinping is about to claim a level of control over the PLA not seen since Deng Xiaoping.