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Centre for American Studies
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Centre for American Studies

Beijing-based academic institute studying US politics, economy and security; affiliated with Fudan University.

Last refreshed: 8 May 2026

Key Question

What does Fudan's Centre for American Studies make of the Trump-Xi summit on Iran?

Timeline for Centre for American Studies

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Background

The Centre for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai is one of China's foremost academic institutions studying United States Foreign Policy, domestic politics and China-US relations. It operates under Fudan's School of International Relations and Public Affairs and publishes research on American strategic thinking, trade policy and geopolitical posture. Its scholars are frequently consulted by Chinese state media and Foreign Policy ministries. The centre is affiliated with Fudan's wider international studies cluster, which includes the Institute for International Studies and engages with government interlocutors on China's strategic positioning.

The Centre for American Studies appears in the Iran-conflict-2026 record as an analytical voice on US strategy and China-US relations, cited in context of the China-Iran sanctions dynamic . With the 14-15 May Trump-Xi summit in Beijing approaching, Fudan's American studies scholars sit at the analytical intersection of US sanctions architecture, Chinese banking de-risking, and the Iran MOU's implications for China's posture. The centre's institutional framing shapes how Chinese academic and policy circles interpret the dual NFRA-MOFCOM signal that emerged before the summit.

Common Questions
What is the Centre for American Studies at Fudan University?
It is a prominent Chinese think-tank based at Fudan University in Shanghai that studies US Foreign Policy, domestic politics and China-US strategic relations. Its scholars are regularly cited in Chinese policy debates.
How does Fudan University's American studies centre view US sanctions on Iran?
The centre analyses US sanctions architecture through a China-US strategic lens, typically framing OFAC restrictions as instruments of American hegemony that create space for Chinese financial alternatives. Its scholars have commented on the yuan-denominated toll payments and China's dual NFRA-MOFCOM posture.Source: Lowdown
Is Fudan University's Centre for American Studies linked to the Chinese government?
Fudan University is a Chinese state institution and the Centre for American Studies operates within its official academic structure. Its research informs Chinese government policy discussions, and its scholars engage with Foreign Policy ministries, though it functions as an academic rather than a directly governmental body.
Source Material
Fudan University