Chiwa Lee

Growing up in Hong Kong, I moved to Seattle in October 2021 and completed my second bachelor’s degree in integrated social sciences at UW last winter. Now, I am a first-year student in the MA program of China Studies at the Jackson School.

In the coming years, I would like to focus my studies and research on the emergence of China and how this changes the dynamics of global political landscapes. China as a new Asian power has a unique strategy and ideology in international policy which are distinct from those of traditional Western powers, including the USA and Canada. Moreover, the dynamics and changes in global political landscapes have strong impacts on the domestic political and social development of Western countries. I believe that comparative studies of the relations between China and Western countries, e.g. Canada, will provide additional insights and a better understanding of the entire web of contemporary global political landscapes, and possibly perspectives about likely future developments.

Other than the analysis of the political economy and sociological bases of China-Canada tensions, the global environmental issue is another topic I would like to explore through this lens. By studying environmental issues related to Canada and the Arctic region, I hope to understand why there has been such slow progress in coming together to address the seriousness of global environmental problems, and how these will affect vulnerable parts of Canada and the world.

With the FLAS Fellowship in French, I would like to enrich my language capability. This will help me understand Canadian perspectives on these issues and make my further path toward international studies wider and more solid.