Dr. Zhao is professor of international relations and director of the Center for Asian Studies at American University in Washington, D.C. A specialist in international relations and comparative politics focusing on East Asia, Dr. Zhao is the author of Interpreting Chinese Foreign Policy (winner of the Best Academic Book Award by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Korea), and Japanese Policymaking. In 2010, Dr. Zhao received the Sumiya Mikio Award as the first place winner for best essays in Japanese studies selected by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Professor Zhao received his B.A. from Peking University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. He has also testified before the U.S. Congress on China’s high-speed railway system, and served as a consultant to the United Nations.