Claus Soong is an analyst at Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), in Berlin. He specializes in China's global strategy with a particular focus on China's role in the Asia-Pacific and the Global South, China-US relations and Hong Kong. Prior to joining MERICS, he gained experience working with organizations such as the International Crisis Group and the Center for China and Globalization in Hong Kong and Beijing, and Greenmantle in New York. Claus holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree of law from National Chengchi University, Taiwan, a Master of Arts in political science from the University of Delaware, US, and a Master of Management Science in global affairs from Tsinghua University, China, as a Schwarzman Scholar.