China Seminar | 13 October 2016

Clear Thinking on the South China Sea

David R. Stilwell

The South China Sea is a hot topic these days. Brigadier General Stilwell will offer his thoughts on the current state of the US-China relationship since the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea invalidated China’s 9-dash Line claim. He will offer his assessment of China’s long-term strategy, including Beijing’s intent behind East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone, as well as the many issues surrounding a South China Sea ADIZ. Brigadier General Dave Stilwell retired from the Air Force after 35 years in uniform and is currently Adjunct Senior Fellow at the EWC. He began his career as a Korean linguist and later majored in Asian Studies and Chinese language as an East West Center participant 1987-1988. BrigGen Stilwell has flown 2500 hours in the F-4 Phantom II and the F-16 Fighting Falcon with deployments to South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. He most recently served as the Base and Wing Commander at Misawa Air Base, Japan; as Defense Attaché to the People’s Republic of China 2011-2013; and most recently as the Policy and Strategy advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for all Asia security issues. He is married to former East West Center staff member Jan Watanabe, and they have two children, Dane and Janae.