Cortez A. Cooper III

Senior International/Defense Researcher; Affiliate Faculty, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Santa Monica Office

Education

M.A. in Asian Studies, University of Hawaii; B.A. in psychology, Davidson College

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Cortez A. Cooper III is a senior international/defense researcher at the RAND Corporation and an affiliate faculty member at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. He provides assessments of security challenges across political, military, economic, cultural, and informational arenas for a broad range of U.S. government clients.

Prior to joining RAND, Cooper was the director of the East Asia Studies Center for Hicks and Associates, Inc. He has also served in the U.S. Navy Executive Service as the senior analyst for the Joint Intelligence Center Pacific, U.S. Pacific Command. As the senior intelligence analyst and Asia regional specialist in the Pacific Theater, he advised Pacific Command leadership on trends and developments in the Command's area of responsibility. Before his Hawaii assignment, Cooper was a senior analyst with CENTRA Technology, Inc., specializing in Asia-Pacific political-military affairs.

Cooper's 20 years of military service included assignments as both an Army Signal Corps officer and a China Foreign Area officer. In addition to numerous military decorations, the Secretary of Defense awarded Cooper with the Exceptional Civilian Service Award in 2001. He holds an M.A. in Asian studies from the University of Hawaii.

Research Focus

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: Diplomat Online

Commentary

Getting to Know the Competition
Americans are facing a new reality in global great power relations that will define the trajectory of U.S. foreign policy for the foreseeable future. Understanding China's threat perceptions, while remaining clear-eyed regarding differences in objectives, is essential to developing strategies to deter conflict.
May 13, 2019 RealClearDefense
Experts, Scholars Evaluate Chinese Strategic Thinking
On April 30, experts, scholars, and government analysts gathered at RAND Corporation offices in Arlington, Va., to evaluate changing Chinese strategic thinking on threat perceptions, doctrine, and strategic concepts for employing military power to advance national goals.
May 12, 2014

Publications

Report
Democracy in the Asia-Pacific Region
In this report, RAND researchers study democratization and the factors that influence it among small Asian states, identify policies that can support democratization, and examine how external actors can help countries democratize.
Dec 6, 2021
Report
Regional Responses to U.S.-China Competition in the Indo-Pacific: Singapore
In this report, the authors assess the impact of the changes in China's strategic behavior and U.S.-China relations over the past decade on Singapore in terms of its security policies and relationships in the Indo-Pacific region.
Nov 12, 2020
Report
Regional Responses to U.S.-China Competition in the Indo-Pacific: Study Overview and Conclusions
The authors define U.S.-China competition for influence and assess competition in nine countries across the Indo-Pacific to gain insight into how the United States could work more effectively with allies and partners in Southeast Asia and beyond.
Nov 12, 2020
Research Brief
U.S. Versus Chinese Powers of Persuasion: Does the United States or China Have More Influence in the Indo-Pacific Region?
This brief assesses U.S.-China competition for influence in countries across the Indo-Pacific.
Nov 12, 2020
Report
People's Liberation Army Operational Concepts
In this report, authors assess China's military theory, strategy, and guiding principles, in addition to doctrinal or operational concepts, to help U.S. strategists and planners formulate responses to China's evolving military strategy and doctrine.
Sep 29, 2020
Report
Chinese Views of Big Data Analytics
The authors of this report use Chinese primary-source materials to provide a preliminary analysis of China's expectations for the use of big data analytics and the country's plans and strategies for development of big data analytic capabilities.
Sep 1, 2020
Report
China's Grand Strategy: Trends, Trajectories, and Long-Term Competition
To explore what extended competition between the United States and China might entail out to 2050, the authors of this report assessed how successful China might be at implementing its grand strategy goals over the next three decades.
Jul 24, 2020
Testimony
PLA Military Modernization: Drivers, Force Restructuring, and Implications
Testimony presented before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on February 15, 2018.
Feb 15, 2018
Report
Transformation of Taiwan's Reserve Force
Assesses Taiwan's current reserve force and discusses steps that Taiwan can take to enhance the role of the reserves in deterring and, if necessary, defending against a cross-Strait invasion.
Feb 22, 2017
Report
The PLA and China's Rejuvenation: National Security and Military Strategies, Deterrence Concepts, and Combat Capabilities
This study describes China's national and security strategies and its approach to war and escalation control; summarizes its military capabilities developments; and reviews its concepts for deterrence in strategic and conventional domains.
Dec 6, 2016
Brochure
China, Inside and Out: A Collection of Essays on Foreign and Domestic Policy in the Xi Jinping Era
This collection of essays explore some of the realities of China's overriding philosophies.
Oct 20, 2015
Multimedia
U.S.–Japan Alliance Conference Series Proceedings
In a series of conferences, U.S. and Japanese experts explored the challenges for the U.S.-Japan alliance associated with China's military modernization drive and increasing foreign policy assertiveness.
Jan 21, 2015
Journal Article
China's Aircraft Carrier Program: Drivers, Developments, Implications
This paper examines first the drivers, the operational capabilities, and then the future trajectory of China's carrier program. We evaluate the implications of the carrier program for the balance of maritime power in the western Pacific and beyond.
2015
Testimony
Joint Anti-Access Operations: China's "System-of-Systems" Approach
Testimony presented before the U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission on January 27, 2011.
Jan 27, 2011
Testimony
The PLA Navy's "New Historic Missions": Expanding Capabilities for a Re-emergent Maritime Power
Testimony presented before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on June 11, 2009.
Jun 8, 2009