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Expert Bio
David Sacks is a research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, where his work focuses on U.S.-China relations, U.S.-Taiwan relations, Chinese foreign policy, cross-Strait relations, and the political thought of Hans Morgenthau. He was previously the Special Assistant to the President for Research at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Prior to joining CFR, Mr. Sacks worked on political military affairs at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which handles the full breadth of the United States’ relationship with Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic ties. Mr. Sacks was also a Princeton in Asia fellow in Hangzhou, China. He received his M.A. in International Relations and International Economics, with honors, from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). At SAIS, he was the recipient of the A. Doak Barnett Award, given annually to the most distinguished China Studies graduate. Mr. Sacks received his B.A. in Political Science, Magna Cum Laude, from Carleton College.
Current Projects
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There is understandable fear about what might happen to TSMC should China invade Taiwan, but the United States can ensure China does not inherit the company without physically destroying it.
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Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen will visit the United States next month. China is sure to retaliate, but how far it goes will say a lot about the trajectory of cross-strait and U.S.-China relations.
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Neither the United States nor China is prepared for a serious crisis.
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The meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping did not resolve major disagreements, but it could start the process of building guardrails to prevent competition from turning into conflict.
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Taiwan needs to more urgently prepare for a Chinese attack
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President Biden's comment on Taiwan independence is a break from his predecessors.
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U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi became the first speaker in twenty-five years to visit Taiwan.
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One of Shinzo Abe’s most significant moves was adjusting Japan’s relationship with Taiwan.
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In moving away from strategic ambiguity, Biden made a long overdue adjustment to U.S. policy.
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Russia's struggles in Ukraine reveal a pivot to Asia is still the right strategy.
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China’s support for Russia risks working against its desire to bring Taiwan under its control.
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Questions of how the United States should address the issue of China and Taiwan have moved to the center of the U.S. foreign policy debate.
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China's decision to stop funding coal plants abroad is an important step, but real progress will require phasing out coal at home.
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Europe is responding to China's Belt and Road Initiative, but it is unclear whether its alternative can succeed.
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The Biden administration should resist calls to rename Taiwan's office in the United States.
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China is unlikely to prioritize Afghanistan for Belt and Road investment.
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Xi Jinping's speech marking the one hundredth anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party demonstrated China is unlikely to drastically change its approach to Taiwan anytime soon.
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A comprehensive U.S.-Taiwan trade agreement would benefit U.S. companies, bolster Taiwan's economic security, and underscore Washington's interest in cross-Strait stability.
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Taiwan will need to make painful tradeoffs to ensure its continued security, Richard Bush argues in a new book.
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The Spring Meetings should address BRI’s pitfalls and advance policies to help put BRI countries on the path toward recovery and sustainable growth.
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The Belt and Road Initiative's flagship project in Pakistan is struggling to fulfill China's hopes.
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China is successfully using the Belt and Road Initiative to promote the adoption of Huawei 5G, while the United States is looking to reverse these gains.
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As the United States embarks on an era of great power competition with China, it is incumbent on U.S. policymakers to better understand BRI and the strategic and political implications of the initiative.