Meia Nouwens is a Senior Fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation within the IISS Defence and Military Analysis Programme. Her expertise lies in Chinese cross-service defence analysis, as well as China’s regional strategic affairs and international relations. Prior to commencing at IISS, she worked for the European External Action Service’s representation in Taipei. She holds four years of experience in security and defence as a private sector consultant focussing on conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction. Nouwens holds a BA Honours in International Relations and Political Science from Macquarie University, a Masters of International Relations and Diplomacy from Leiden University in conjunction with the Clingendael Institute, and an MPhil in Modern Chinese Studies from the University of Oxford and Peking University.