Oxford China Policy Lab

The Oxford China Policy Lab (OCPL) is a non-partisan, interdisciplinary research group based at the University of Oxford, incubated by Balliol College's Balliol Interdisciplinary Institute. Co-founded and co-directed by Scott Singer and Kayla Blomquist, OCPL was established in 2022 with the overarching goal of mitigating global risks associated with US-China great power competition, particularly those arising from artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. The lab operates through three core pillars. First, it produces academically rigorous, evidence-based, and policy-relevant analysis on the most critical issues in US-China relations, seeking to move beyond ideological tropes and exclusively Western- or Sino-centric approaches to promote nuanced discourse on China. Second, it promotes collaboration between academic researchers and policymakers, working to transform Oxford into a hub for meaningful discussion on China, the US, and the world. Third, it trains the next generation of China experts through its fellowship program, which provides Oxford graduate students with research experience and professional development opportunities at the intersection of US-China relations and emerging technologies. OCPL has achieved significant policy impact, with its research published through British Parliament, including work cited in the Business and Trade Committee's Economic Security Bill report. Team members have contributed to major international AI governance initiatives, including the International AI Safety Report led by Professor Yoshua Bengio and the California Report on Frontier AI Policy that informed SB-53. The lab has also organized Track II convenings with US, UK, and China experts addressing AI-driven crisis coordination. By 2025, OCPL had produced over 50 publications, commentaries, and analyses, with team members providing expert commentary across major media outlets including the BBC, Foreign Policy, The Financial Times, Bloomberg, The Guardian, and The Washington Post. The lab runs an annual flagship conference hosting 50+ participants from government, academia, and industry, and maintains a Substack newsletter with over 2,000 subscribers. OCPL is fiscally sponsored by the Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative (BERI). Co-founder Scott Singer is also a Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and an affiliate of the Oxford Martin School AI Governance Initiative. Co-founder Kayla Blomquist is an alumna of the Oxford Internet Institute who previously served as a US Diplomat to the People's Republic of China.