Taylor Fravel
@fravel.bsky.social
Studying China's foreign and security policies and director of MIT's Security Studies Program
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
SSP Director @fravel.bsky.social and Associate Professor @proftalmadge.bsky.social join the Strategic Simplicity Podcast to discuss China’s military transformation and the implications for US nuclear strategy.
🎧 strategicsimplicity.substack.com/p/part-i-of-...
🎧 strategicsimplicity.substack.com/p/part-i-of-...
September 16, 2025 at 2:48 PM
SSP Director @fravel.bsky.social and Associate Professor @proftalmadge.bsky.social join the Strategic Simplicity Podcast to discuss China’s military transformation and the implications for US nuclear strategy.
🎧 strategicsimplicity.substack.com/p/part-i-of-...
🎧 strategicsimplicity.substack.com/p/part-i-of-...
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
“Xi may well deem it necessary to fight even if the PLA is not completely prepared,” writes @fravel.bsky.social. “Since the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949, China has usually gone to war when conditions appeared to be unfavorable.”
Is China’s Military Ready for War?
What Xi’s purges do—and don’t—mean for Beijing’s ambitions.
fam.ag
September 3, 2025 at 8:02 PM
“Xi may well deem it necessary to fight even if the PLA is not completely prepared,” writes @fravel.bsky.social. “Since the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949, China has usually gone to war when conditions appeared to be unfavorable.”
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
Delighted to have joined the Strategic Simplicity Podcast with @pranayrvaddi.bsky.social, @fravel.bsky.social, Austin Long, and Vipin Narang to discuss China's nuclear strategy!
We're joined by Taylor Fravel and Caitlin Talmadge to talk China...or at least have 1/3 to 1/2 of a very long conversation about China. Link below.
September 15, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Delighted to have joined the Strategic Simplicity Podcast with @pranayrvaddi.bsky.social, @fravel.bsky.social, Austin Long, and Vipin Narang to discuss China's nuclear strategy!
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
“Now, as then, Chinese leaders may pursue war even if the domestic economic and political conditions appear unfavorable—and even if the PLA is not ready to fight,” writes SSP Director M. Taylor Fravel (@fravel.bsky.social) for @foreignaffairs.com.
www.foreignaffairs.com/china/chinas...
www.foreignaffairs.com/china/chinas...
Is China’s Military Ready for War?
What Xi’s purges do—and don’t—mean for Beijing’s ambitions.
www.foreignaffairs.com
July 22, 2025 at 4:54 PM
“Now, as then, Chinese leaders may pursue war even if the domestic economic and political conditions appear unfavorable—and even if the PLA is not ready to fight,” writes SSP Director M. Taylor Fravel (@fravel.bsky.social) for @foreignaffairs.com.
www.foreignaffairs.com/china/chinas...
www.foreignaffairs.com/china/chinas...
New essay on purges in China’s armed forces and its impact on operational readiness
www.foreignaffairs.com/china/chinas...
www.foreignaffairs.com/china/chinas...
Is China’s Military Ready for War?
What Xi’s purges do—and don’t—mean for Beijing’s ambitions.
www.foreignaffairs.com
July 18, 2025 at 5:21 PM
New essay on purges in China’s armed forces and its impact on operational readiness
www.foreignaffairs.com/china/chinas...
www.foreignaffairs.com/china/chinas...
A wonderful tribute to @ssp-mit.bsky.social's dear colleague, Owen Cote
networks.h-net.org/group/discus...
networks.h-net.org/group/discus...
H-Diplo|RJISSF Tribute to the Scholarship and Legacy of Owen R. Coté, Jr. | H-Net
H-Diplo | Robert Jervis International Security Studvies ForumTribute to the Scholarship and Legacy of Owen R. Coté, Jr.
networks.h-net.org
June 9, 2025 at 4:29 PM
A wonderful tribute to @ssp-mit.bsky.social's dear colleague, Owen Cote
networks.h-net.org/group/discus...
networks.h-net.org/group/discus...
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
Why can a direct comparison of two countries’ defense budget be misleading? @fravel.bsky.social explains: “no two countries in their published defense budgets report spending on the exact same categories.” Learn more here:
Getting China’s Defense Spending Right | ChinaPower Project
In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Taylor Fravel, Dr. George Gilboy, and Dr. Eric Heginbotham join us to discuss their recent article assessing China’s defense budget. They challenge…
bit.ly
March 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Why can a direct comparison of two countries’ defense budget be misleading? @fravel.bsky.social explains: “no two countries in their published defense budgets report spending on the exact same categories.” Learn more here:
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
If you are visiting the United States, having a negative view of Trump is enough to get you denied entry.
If this was coming out of Russia or China, we would deplore such an authoritarian attack on freedom of expression.
If this was coming out of Russia or China, we would deplore such an authoritarian attack on freedom of expression.
March 19, 2025 at 6:39 PM
If you are visiting the United States, having a negative view of Trump is enough to get you denied entry.
If this was coming out of Russia or China, we would deplore such an authoritarian attack on freedom of expression.
If this was coming out of Russia or China, we would deplore such an authoritarian attack on freedom of expression.
New book alert, expertly edited by Bard Nikolas Vik Steen.
Contributors include @stephenwalt.bsky.social @arkroeber.bsky.social @brunotertrais.bsky.social @fheisbourg.bsky.social myself and many more who are not yet on this channel
academic.oup.com/book/59461
Contributors include @stephenwalt.bsky.social @arkroeber.bsky.social @brunotertrais.bsky.social @fheisbourg.bsky.social myself and many more who are not yet on this channel
academic.oup.com/book/59461
Not Just Another Cold War: The Global Implications of the US-China Rivalry
Abstract. This book explores how the emerging superpower rivalry between the United States and China compares to the Cold War, and what that means for the
academic.oup.com
March 19, 2025 at 11:22 AM
New book alert, expertly edited by Bard Nikolas Vik Steen.
Contributors include @stephenwalt.bsky.social @arkroeber.bsky.social @brunotertrais.bsky.social @fheisbourg.bsky.social myself and many more who are not yet on this channel
academic.oup.com/book/59461
Contributors include @stephenwalt.bsky.social @arkroeber.bsky.social @brunotertrais.bsky.social @fheisbourg.bsky.social myself and many more who are not yet on this channel
academic.oup.com/book/59461
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
Exclusive: NIH officials have advised scientists to remove reference to mRNA vaccines from their grant applications, in expectation the Trump administration intends to abandon most research in the field.
By @arthurallen202.bsky.social
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
By @arthurallen202.bsky.social
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Scientists Say NIH Officials Told Them To Scrub mRNA References on Grants - KFF Health News
Two senior scientists say National Institutes of Health officials advised them to remove references to mRNA vaccines in grant applications, and they fear the Trump administration will abandon a promis...
kffhealthnews.org
March 16, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Exclusive: NIH officials have advised scientists to remove reference to mRNA vaccines from their grant applications, in expectation the Trump administration intends to abandon most research in the field.
By @arthurallen202.bsky.social
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
By @arthurallen202.bsky.social
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
What could possibly go wrong
DOGE Cuts Reach Key Nuclear Scientists, Bomb Engineers and Safety Experts
Firings and buyouts hit the top-secret National Nuclear Safety Administration amid a major effort to upgrade America’s nuclear arsenal. Critics say it shows the consequences of heedlessly cutting the ...
www.nytimes.com
March 17, 2025 at 12:13 PM
What could possibly go wrong
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
“Simply put: Nuclear proliferation to both allies and adversaries dilutes the privileges of power the United States enjoys,” writes the Center for Nuclear Security Policy’s Vipin Narang and @pranayrvaddi.bsky.social with coauthor @nktpnd.bsky.social for @warontherocks.bsky.social.
Read more👇🏽
Read more👇🏽
My latest, with @pranayrvaddi.bsky.social and Vipin Narang, for @warontherocks.bsky.social: on why *even* an 'America First' approach to US statecraft benefits from limiting the spread of nuclear weapons, i.e., Trump should love nonproliferation warontherocks.com/2025/03/nucl...
Nuclear Proliferation Will Haunt ‘America First’ - War on the Rocks
It is no coincidence that Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland openly raised the possibility that his country may need to arm itself with nuclear weapons.
warontherocks.com
March 10, 2025 at 9:06 PM
“Simply put: Nuclear proliferation to both allies and adversaries dilutes the privileges of power the United States enjoys,” writes the Center for Nuclear Security Policy’s Vipin Narang and @pranayrvaddi.bsky.social with coauthor @nktpnd.bsky.social for @warontherocks.bsky.social.
Read more👇🏽
Read more👇🏽
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
Firing General Brown and Admiral Franchetti is not a complete surprise to civmil watchers, but pulling this guy from retirement for chairman definitely is
It’s a strong signal that promotion to top positions will require complete ideological conformity from here on out
It’s a strong signal that promotion to top positions will require complete ideological conformity from here on out
Trump is nominating a retired Air National Guard 3-star to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
Highest major command was Deputy Commander, CENTSOC
www.af.mil/About-Us/Bio...
Highest major command was Deputy Commander, CENTSOC
www.af.mil/About-Us/Bio...
February 22, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Firing General Brown and Admiral Franchetti is not a complete surprise to civmil watchers, but pulling this guy from retirement for chairman definitely is
It’s a strong signal that promotion to top positions will require complete ideological conformity from here on out
It’s a strong signal that promotion to top positions will require complete ideological conformity from here on out
“If I were a nation like China, Russia or Iran, I’d be having a field day with a bunch of college kids running around with sensitive federal government data on unencrypted hard drives.”
Musk’s DOGE agents access sensitive personnel data, alarming security officials
Elon Musk’s DOGE team has accessed highly restricted data maintained by the Office of Personnel Management, including personally identifiable information for millions of federal employees.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 6, 2025 at 8:43 PM
“If I were a nation like China, Russia or Iran, I’d be having a field day with a bunch of college kids running around with sensitive federal government data on unencrypted hard drives.”
Great opportunity!
We are thrilled to issue the call for applications (global.upenn.edu/future-of-us...) for our third fellowship cohort, made possible by generous support from @carnegiecorp.bsky.social and the Henry Luce Foundation. Applications are due February 28.
January 27, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Great opportunity!
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
The Center for Nuclear Security Policy (CNSP) is pleased to announce that Pranay Vaddi has joined CNSP as the inaugural Senior Nuclear Fellow. @pranayrvaddi.bsky.social most recently served as special assistant to President Biden and as senior director for Arms Control, Disarmament, and...
January 25, 2025 at 12:18 AM
The Center for Nuclear Security Policy (CNSP) is pleased to announce that Pranay Vaddi has joined CNSP as the inaugural Senior Nuclear Fellow. @pranayrvaddi.bsky.social most recently served as special assistant to President Biden and as senior director for Arms Control, Disarmament, and...
Great analysis by Evan Medeiros
Xi has a plan for retaliating against Trump’s gamesmanship
China is marshalling its forces for long-term competition against an America that it believes is divided and in decline
on.ft.com
January 5, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Great analysis by Evan Medeiros
Great opportunity for recent or soon to be college graduates
Recent college graduates who are interested in nuclear security are encouraged to apply to this 1-yr program, with the possibility of a 2nd-year renewal. This fellowship includes MIT benefits.
For more information and to apply: careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/cl...
@mitofficial.bsky.social (2/2)
For more information and to apply: careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/cl...
@mitofficial.bsky.social (2/2)
Nuclear Security Research Support Associate 2
MIT - Nuclear Security Research Support Associate 2 - Cambridge MA 02139
careers.peopleclick.com
December 21, 2024 at 2:10 PM
Great opportunity for recent or soon to be college graduates
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
The Center for Nuclear Security Policy at MIT is seeking Nuclear Security Junior Fellows to serve as research assistants for faculty, researchers, and fellows on topics related to nuclear security. Fellows will report to the director of the Center for Nuclear Security Policy. (1/2)
December 19, 2024 at 8:23 PM
The Center for Nuclear Security Policy at MIT is seeking Nuclear Security Junior Fellows to serve as research assistants for faculty, researchers, and fellows on topics related to nuclear security. Fellows will report to the director of the Center for Nuclear Security Policy. (1/2)
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
We are delighted to announce the launch of a major new initiative which draws on the approach of the Penn Project in convening, over the next 2 years, leading next generation scholars and experts on China from throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Announcement here: bit.ly/41GUPvh
December 20, 2024 at 2:38 PM
We are delighted to announce the launch of a major new initiative which draws on the approach of the Penn Project in convening, over the next 2 years, leading next generation scholars and experts on China from throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Announcement here: bit.ly/41GUPvh
Great opportunity!
The Center for Nuclear Security Policy at MIT is seeking Nuclear Security Junior Fellows to serve as research assistants for faculty, researchers, and fellows on topics related to nuclear security. Fellows will report to the director of the Center for Nuclear Security Policy. (1/2)
December 20, 2024 at 5:34 PM
Great opportunity!
Trump Taps Ex-Senator David Perdue for Ambassador to China
December 6, 2024 at 2:55 AM
Trump Taps Ex-Senator David Perdue for Ambassador to China
Reposted by Taylor Fravel
Final call for applications!
The Security Studies Program at MIT is accepting applications for the Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows Program.
Applications are accepted through December 6, 2024. Decisions will be announced in January 2025. Information & application: ssp.mit.edu/about/fellow...
The Security Studies Program at MIT is accepting applications for the Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows Program.
Applications are accepted through December 6, 2024. Decisions will be announced in January 2025. Information & application: ssp.mit.edu/about/fellow...
December 3, 2024 at 5:02 PM
Final call for applications!
The Security Studies Program at MIT is accepting applications for the Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows Program.
Applications are accepted through December 6, 2024. Decisions will be announced in January 2025. Information & application: ssp.mit.edu/about/fellow...
The Security Studies Program at MIT is accepting applications for the Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows Program.
Applications are accepted through December 6, 2024. Decisions will be announced in January 2025. Information & application: ssp.mit.edu/about/fellow...
More big news …. Miao Hua, current member of the CMC in charge of political work is under investigation
on.ft.com/3ARpY4t
on.ft.com/3ARpY4t
China probes top officer discipline ‘violations’
Investigation into Miao Hua takes Xi Jinping’s purge of military to its highest echelons
on.ft.com
November 28, 2024 at 1:37 PM
More big news …. Miao Hua, current member of the CMC in charge of political work is under investigation
on.ft.com/3ARpY4t
on.ft.com/3ARpY4t