Rick Waters Explained

Office:	China Coordinator and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for China and Taiwan, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
President:	Joe Biden
Term Start:	2021
Term End:	2023
Education:	Georgetown University (MS)
Successor:	Mark Baxter Lambert
Occupation:	Diplomat

Rick Waters is an American foreign policy analyst currently serving as managing director for China at the Eurasia Group.^[1] He previously served as China Coordinator and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for China and Taiwan in the Biden administration.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Early life and education

Waters holds a MS from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. He speaks Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish.^[5]

Career

Waters served at the U.S. Department of State for 27 years in various capacities, including as director for Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Palestinian Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council in the George W. Bush administration.

Waters joined the Eurasia Group as China practice lead in August 2023.^[6] He joined the Asia Society's Center for China Analysis as a senior fellow in July 2024.^[7]

In March 2024, Waters met with Taiwan's then-president Tsai Ing-wen as part of a D.C. think tank delegation.^{[8] [9]}

References

1. Web site: Eurasia Group Rick Waters . 2024-07-20 . www.eurasiagroup.net.
2. Web site: Rick Waters . 2024-07-20 . United States Department of State . en-US.
3. News: 2023-05-24 . US State Department’s Top China Official Is Stepping Down . 2024-07-20 . Bloomberg.com . en.
4. News: Martina . Michael . Pamuk . Humeyra . May 24, 2023 . US State Department's top China policy official to step down . July 19, 2024 . Reuters.
5. Web site: Rick Waters . 2024-07-30 . United States Department of State . en-US.
6. Web site: Eurasia Group Rick Waters, former top China policy official at US State Department, joins Eurasia Group . 2024-07-20 . www.eurasiagroup.net.
7. Web site: July 8, 2024 . New CCA Fellow Rick Waters Joins the Center for China Analysis as a Senior Fellow . July 19, 2024.
8. Web site: March 11, 2024 . President Tsai meets delegation of scholars from think tanks based in Washington, DC . July 30, 2024 . Office of the President, Republican of China (Taiwan).
9. Web site: Chiou . Ching-en . March 11, 2024 . President Tsai Ing-wen meets with US think tank delegation . July 30, 2024 . Radio Taiwan International.