Expert Bio

Sunny Cheung is a 2026-2027 Wilson Center Research Fellow.

Cheung is a Fellow for China Studies at The Jamestown Foundation. He specializes in Chinese politics, cross-strait relations, emerging technologies, and security issues. He is a Global Fellow at the Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET) and a policy advisor to The von Neumann Commission, advising on emerging technologies ranging from semiconductors and AI to robotics and quantum computing. Mr. Cheung completed research projects for Janes Information Services, Project 2049, Academia Sinica, and the US Department of State. He was a visiting fellow at Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University and National Sun Yat-Sen University in Taiwan. Mr. Cheung has testified before the US Congress, UK Parliament, and Taiwanese Legislative Yuan.

His analysis and commentary have been widely published and featured in media outlets, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Bloomberg, Washington Post, DW News, Nikkei Asia, BBC, U.S. News, NBC News, NPR, Guardian, Al Jazeera, Fox News, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, South China Morning Post, The Strategist, and C-SPAN.

Wilson Center Project

Assessing China’s Future Industries: Implications for U.S. and Taiwan Technology Strategy and Alignment

Project Summary

This project examines China’s emerging “future industries” strategy and its implications for global technology competition, with a particular focus on the United States and Taiwan. It analyzes how Beijing’s push into frontier sectors—such as AI, quantum technologies, advanced energy, and next-generation networks—seeks to bypass existing technological chokepoints and reshape long-term innovation dynamics. The research highlights the asymmetric impact on the U.S. and Taiwan, given their respective strengths in research, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. It further evaluates gaps in current U.S.–Taiwan technology coordination and identifies opportunities and challenges for more aligned industrial policy, research collaboration, and standards-setting. Ultimately, the project develops a framework for coordinated U.S.–Taiwan responses to sustain technological leadership and mitigate strategic risks in an era of intensifying competition.