Professor Jinghan Zeng

Profile

Jinghan Zeng is Professor of China and International Studies at Lancaster University. His current research focuses on China's AI governance and Belt and Road Inititative. Professor Zeng is named in the World's Top 2% Scientists list by Stanford University and Elsevier in 2021 and 2022. He is the author of several books including Artificial Intelligence with Chinese Characteristics: National Strategy, Security and Authoritarian Governance (2022), Slogan Politics: Understanding Chinese Foreign Policy Concepts (2020) and The Chinese Communist Party's Capacity to Rule: Ideology, Legitimacy and Party Cohesion (2015). He is also the co-editor of One Belt, One Road, One Story? Towards an EU-China Strategic Narrative (2021). He has published over thirty refereed articles in leading journals of politics, international relations and area studies including The Pacific Review, Journal of Contemporary China, International Affairs, JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies, and Third World Quarterly.

Professor Zeng draws on his research to connect with audiences beyond academia. He advises the European Commission, United Nations, Cabinet Office (UK), Foreign & Commonwealth Office (UK) and the UK Parliament. He frequently appears in TV and radio broadcasts including the BBC, ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, Asharq News,China Global Television Network (CGTN) and Voice of America. He has been quoted in print/online publications including Science, Financial Times, The Economist, Forbes, South China Morning Post and TODAY. He has written op-ed articles for The Diplomat, BBC (Chinese), The Conversation, Nikkei Asia, Policy Forum, Korea on Point among others.

At Lancaster University, Professor Zeng also holds the position of Academic Director of China Engagement and serves as the Director of Lancaster University Confucius Institute. Previously he was Senior Lecturer of International Relations and Director of Centre for Politics in Africa, Asia and the Middle East (AAME) at Royal Holloway, University of London. Professor Zeng also lectured at University of Cambridge, London School of Economics and Political Science, Royal College of Defence Studies (UK), LUISS (Italy), Tsinghua University (China) and Zhejiang University (China). He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) and holds degrees from the University of Warwick (PhD, completed within 2 years, 2014) and the University of Pittsburgh (MA, 2011). He has also hold visiting professor/fellow positions at numerous universities worldwide including Tsinghua University (China), University of Navarra (Spain) and University of Warwick. Before embarking on his academic career, he worked for the United Nations’ Department of Economic and Social Affairs in New York City.

Prospective PhD students who want to study Chinese domestic and international politics are welcome.