Daniel Shats

Areas of Expertise

China & Taiwan

Focus Areas

Product Line

Map Series

Daniel Shats is Deputy Team Lead on the ISW China Team. He writes on the China & Taiwan Update about the PRC’s many avenues of coercion against Taiwan, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Taiwanese politics, and other issues affecting regional security. Prior to joining ISW in October 2023, he was a Research Analyst writing on Chinese and Russian military and technology issues for BluePath Labs.

Daniel has co-authored papers at ISW on PRC short-of-war coercion against Taiwan’s Kinmen Islands, the strategic implications of North Korea’s growing alliance with Russia for Asia-Pacific security, and the strengthening PRC-Russia nexus. His analysis has been cited in news media such as The Hill, Business Insider, Washington Post, and Asia Times, as well as in the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission’s 2024 report to Congress. He also published articles in Defense One and The Diplomat prior to joining ISW.

Daniel holds an M.A. in China Studies and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He has professional proficiency in Mandarin Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.