David is a nonresident fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research and the founder and principal of Erelas LLC, where he has lead specialized research of Indo-Pacific affairs to inform public and private sector stakeholders. In his former role as president of the Center for Advanced China Research from 2016 to 2023, he focused his research on developing systems and methods for stakeholders and specialists to understand political messaging disseminated by the People’s Republic of China. At SPIA, David dedicates himself to investing in his subject-matter knowledge and research competencies in deterrence messaging and practice, coercive diplomacy, great power rivalry, and other topics relevant to U.S.-China competition and co-existence. David previously worked in various analytical capacities in the private, public, and non-profit sectors, including the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS), the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (OUSDP), and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), focusing on Chinese foreign policy and broader Asian security issues. David received his M.A. in Asian studies from the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, where he subsequently oversaw the establishment of an educational endowment to advance Contemporary China Studies through immersive Chinese language training in China and through sponsored graduate-level course offerings. He has lived, worked, and studied in Beijing, China and has working proficiency in Mandarin.