Experts

Brantly Womack

Fast Facts

  • Retired C.K. Yen Chair at the Miller Center
  • Expert on China
  • Received China Friendship Award for his work with Chinese universities

 

Areas Of Expertise

  • Foreign Affairs
  • Asia
  • Economic Issues
  • Trade

Brantly Womack is a faculty senior fellow at the Miller Center and professor emeritus of foreign affairs at the University of Virginia. He received his BA degree in politics and philosophy from the University of Dallas, and after a Fulbright in philosophy at the University of Munich, earned his PhD in political science from the University of Chicago. 

Womack is the author of Recentering Pacific Asia (Cambridge University Press 2023), Asymmetry and International Relationships (Cambridge University Press 2016), China Among Unequals: Asymmetric International Relationships in Asia (World Scientific Press 2010), and China and Vietnam: The Politics of Asymmetry (Cambridge University Press 2006), as well as more than 100 articles and book chapters.

His co-edited book, Rethinking the Triangle: Washington-Beijing-Taipei (World Scientific Press 2016), was the product of a series of five international conferences that began at the Miller Center. He edited China’s Rise in Historical Perspective (Rowman and Littlefield 2010), the product of a lecture series at the Miller Center, and Contemporary Chinese Politics in Historical Perspective (Cambridge 1991). In 2011, Womack received the China Friendship Award for his work with Chinese universities. He holds honorary positions at Jilin University, East China Normal University, and Zhongshan (Sun Yat-Sen) University. 

Brantly Womack News Feed

Since 1776, the United States has been at war 93 percent of the time—227 out of 244 years, according to Global Research. Why is that? And what does it mean for the future of our nation, at home and abroad? This half-day public conference will focus on the roots, management, and direction of so-called “endless wars.” During the five sessions, speakers will consider the political, legal, military, cultural, and governance implications of remaining engaged in these indefinite conflicts, and the future prospects of fighting a “forever war."
Brantly Womack Miller Center Presents
While many in the world have mixed feelings about China’s rise, others will see it as a model of COVID-19 recovery and assistance — in “glaring contrast” to the United States, said Brantley Womack of the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. Xi will also likely be appreciated at the U.N. by countries looking for investment and debt relief under China’s massive Belt and Road infrastructure initiative and by states such as Russia. “Just as the global financial crisis in 2008 set the stage for China’s entrance as a global economic power, the COVID crisis provides a new spotlight for China as a global political power,” Womack said. “In both cases, China’s presence is acknowledged but not necessarily welcome, and China’s diplomatic challenge is to put its best face forward.”
Brantly Womack Associated Press
Our war in Indochina shows that endless wars do end, though almost never in victory. But one of the least learned lessons of Vietnam is that a happy ending does not require victory.
Brantly Womack
China appears to be returning to work after making progress in containing COVID-19. At the same time, reports suggest that the nation has concealed the true extent of the outbreak. And Sino-American relations appear to be in flux, with President Trump calling the novel coronavirus a "Chinese virus" at the same time he says the two nations are in "constant communication" about the pandemic. Miller Center China experts Brantly Womack and Aynne Kokas will discuss the geopolitics of COVID-19 and take your questions in a discussion moderated by Miller Center director William Antholis.
Brantly Womack Miller Center Presents
Like Ho Chi Minh, Do Muoi believes in collective leadership and builds consensus. Although he acted much slower than some of his desires, the Communist Party of Vietnam maintained both unity and acceptance of each other's views in times of difficulty. His period as general secretary also saw tremendous progress in Vietnam's international relations such as normalization with China (1991), accession to ASEAN (1995), and normalization with the United States (1995). ).
Brantly Womack BBC
In a written interview with our magazine, Brantly Womack answered our questions regarding some significant issues like pursuing trade diplomacy by Mr. Trump’s administration and the trade war between USA and China.
Brantly Womack Gulan Media