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Drew Thompson

Drew Thompson

Senior Fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University
Drew Thompson is a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University. He was previously a visiting senior research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, where he taught graduate-level courses in US-China relations and practical political risk analysis. From 2011 to 2018, he was the director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he was responsible for supporting the secretary and managing military-to-military relations. His areas of expertise include US-China relations, cross-strait relations, Taiwan defence transformation and resilience, geopolitical risk analysis, as well as simulations and crisis management.

Articles by Drew Thompson

Politics

Trump’s Maduro raid leaves Xi with no easy options

The capture of Venezuela’s president exposes Beijing’s intelligence failure and forces Xi Jinping to choose between confrontation, restraint or strategic retreat in the western hemisphere. RSIS senior fellow Drew Thompson examines US actions and China’s reading of the situation.

Drew Thompson

09 Jan 2026

Politics

China’s assertiveness towards Tokyo, Washington and Taipei is not working

China’s recent retaliations, reminiscent of its “wolf warrior diplomacy” days, is likely to have more bark than bite. The US, Japan and Taiwan remain unfazed, says RSIS senior fellow Drew Thompson.

Drew Thompson

01 Dec 2025

Politics

After the parade: No talks, no trust, no stability

The US and China are caught in a dangerous security dilemma without sustained military-to-military engagement that could provide stability. RSIS senior fellow Drew Thompson discusses this concerning dynamic.

Drew Thompson

10 Sep 2025

Politics

Shangri-La Dialogue — more than US-China competition

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s approach at the Shangri-La Dialogue of talking “tanks, not tariffs” missed the point that the purpose of security is peace and prosperity, observes RSIS senior fellow Drew Thompson.

Drew Thompson

10 Jun 2025

Politics

Trump’s terms, Taiwan’s strategy

For the US, using Taiwan as a pawn against China is harder than many people think, says RSIS senior fellow Drew Thompson.

Drew Thompson

23 May 2025

Politics

Can the next US president achieve a breakthrough in US-China relations?

RSIS senior fellow Drew Thompson notes that whoever becomes the next US president will have to deal with the securitisation of US-China relations, and Xi Jinping’s foreign policy choices to counter what he sees as a hostile US could make the relationship worse.

Drew Thompson

09 Oct 2024

Politics

'Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow': Should Southeast Asia worry?

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a stark reminder of the possibility that the fate of Taiwan may be eventually decided by military force. For Southeast Asian states, the clear preference is to avoid becoming embroiled in a cross-strait conflict, though it may come at the expense of their own principles and security. Eventually, Southeast Asian states should realise that they cannot treat the threat of a cross-strait war as a distant problem as they stand to face unavoidable political, economic and security risks if the worst-case scenario unfolds.

Drew Thompson

28 Apr 2022