Brian Hart

Deputy Director and Fellow, China Power Project
Brian Hart

Brian Hart is deputy director and fellow of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He also helps to lead Hidden Reach, a CSIS special initiative that shines light on underappreciated sources of China's influence through open-source data and satellite imagery. His research focuses on Chinese foreign and security policy, China’s military and defense industrial base, Taiwan security issues, U.S.-China relations, and Chinese technology policy. Brian is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. Prior to joining the CSIS China Power Project, he conducted research at the Project 2049 Institute, the CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies, Trivium China, and Wake Forest University. Brian earned his MA with honors in China studies and international economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a graduate certificate in China studies from the SAIS Hopkins-Nanjing Center. He received a BA with honors in politics and international affairs from Wake Forest University.

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In China’s Orbit: Beijing’s Space Diplomacy in the Global South

China is using its dual-use space industry to lock in long-term influence across the Global South, creating strategic, economic, and security dependencies that will shape the future balance of power in orbit.

Digital Report by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, and Aidan Powers-Riggs — January 15, 2026

CRINK in 10 Charts

China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea (CRINK) are increasingly cooperating to challenge the United States and global governance. These 10 charts showcase how China and Russia anchor CRINK cooperation and how the war in Ukraine has accelerated CRINK alignment. 

Commentary by Brian Hart, Bonny Lin, Maria Snegovaya, and Mona Yacoubian — November 24, 2025

State of Play

Was President Trump's Asia trip a success?

Victor Cha and Brian Hart join Will to discuss if President Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping met expectations.

Podcast Episode by Will Todman, Victor Cha, and Brian Hart — October 31, 2025

Photo: iLab/CSIS

U.S. Policies Only Temporarily Shake China's Shipbuilding Dominance

New U.S. policies aimed at curtailing China’s growing dominance over global shipbuilding went into effect on October 14. The rollout of these measures over the past year triggered temporary volatility in international ship ordering behavior but has not yet produced lasting change in China’s market position.

Analysis by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, and Aidan Powers-Riggs — October 16, 2025

Audio Briefs

Experts React: U.S.-China Relations Heading into a Likely Summit

An audio version of “⁠Experts React: U.S.-China Relations Heading into a Likely Summit⁠,” a new Commentary by CSIS’s Thomas J. Christensen, Jeannette Chu, Brian Hart, Scott Kennedy, Henrietta Levin, and Ilaria Mazzocco. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Thomas J. Christensen, Jeannette Chu, Brian Hart, Scott Kennedy, Henrietta Levin, and Ilaria Mazzocco — October 6, 2025

Audio Briefs

Experts React: U.S.-China Relations Heading into a Likely Summit

This collection of brief comments by several CSIS China experts reflects substantial anxieties about the state of U.S.-China relations and the potential downsides to possible agreements reached during a potential Trump-Xi meeting on the sidelines of APEC.

Commentary by Thomas J. Christensen, Jeannette Chu, Brian Hart, Scott Kennedy, Henrietta Levin, and Ilaria Mazzocco — October 6, 2025

CRINK Security Ties: Growing Cooperation, Anchored by China and Russia

This brief utilizes data to explore the strengths and limits of security cooperation among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea (CRINK), with a focus on lessons learned from Russia’s war in Ukraine and Iran’s conflicts in the Middle East.

Brief by Bonny Lin, Brian Hart, Leon Li, Hugh Grant-Chapman, Truly Tinsley, and Feifei Hung — September 30, 2025

Audio Briefs

Are U.S. Policies Eroding China’s Dominance in Shipbuilding?

An audio version of "⁠Are U.S. Policies Eroding China’s Dominance in Shipbuilding?⁠," a new Commentary by CSIS's Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, and Aidan Powers-Riggs. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, and Aidan Powers-Riggs — September 24, 2025

Audio Briefs

Are U.S. Policies Eroding China’s Dominance in Shipbuilding?

Washington is ramping up efforts to challenge China’s dominance in global shipbuilding, but newly analyzed data shows shipping companies are still turning to Chinese yards despite looming U.S. penalties.

Commentary by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, and Aidan Powers-Riggs — September 24, 2025