China Institute

Mr John Gittings

Key information

Roles
China Institute Research Associate, SOAS China Institute
Department
China Institute
Qualifications
MA(OXON)
Email address
jg40@soas.ac.uk

Biography

John Gittings was foreign leader-writer and East Asia editor at The Guardian for many years, retiring in 2003, and covered major events in the area from the late 1970s onwards. A graduate in Oriental Studies from Oxford University, he worked previously at Chatham House, the Universidad de Chile, the Far Eastern Economic Review (Hong Kong), the London School of Economics, and the Polytechnic of Central London (now University of Westminster). His first connection with SOAS was learning Chinese on an RAF course in 1957-58. He was Acting Editor of the China Quarterly in 1971-72.

His books include The Changing Face of China (2005), China Through the Sliding Door (1999), Real China (1996), Superpowers in Collision (with Noam Chomsky and Jonathan Steele (1982), The World and China (1974), and The Role of the Chinese Army (1966). In retirement he has worked on peace history, publishing The Glorious Art of Peace (OUP, 2012 & 2018).

His current research project is into China’s perception of existential risk, particularly in the areas of pandemic, climate change and nuclear weapons.

He lives in Oxford, having moved there in 2018 from Shipton-under- Wychwood where he had lived since 2004 with his late wife and constant partner, Aelfthryth. His other interests include Homeric epic and Chinese popular art.

SCI Blog posts

Research interests

US-China-Soviet relations; popular art and politics; Chinese perception of peace.

Contact John