Oliver Hayakawa

I am a Lecturer in International Relations on the joint degree programme 'International Governance and Public Policy' delivered in partnership between the University of Keele, UK, and Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), China.

My research focuses on China-Middle East relations, specifically China-Palestine trade ties within the broader context of the Israel-Palestine conflict. I have a particular passion for ethnography and its application to the study of globalised trade; this includes research on trader communities, market towns, and trade routes in China and across the Middle East. This is largely informed by my experience of conducting research while travelling the Silk Road in 2015 to gain a first-hand understanding of the implications of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

I received my BA in Geography and Chinese Studies from the University of Nottingham, an MA in Near and Middle Eastern Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and an MRes in Middle East Studies and a PhD in Middle East Politics from the University of Exeter.

Prior to pursuing postgraduate studies, I spent almost ten years in China working in various public and private sector roles promoting bilateral relations between the UK and China. I was the first Chief Representative for the Liverpool-Shanghai Partnership (LSP) responsible for facilitating Liverpool-Shanghai relations in the fields of politics, business, education, culture, and sports. This role culminated in my appointment as the Pavilion Director of the Liverpool Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. I went on to become a Trade and Investment Manager for United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI) at the British Consulate in Shanghai, overseeing a range of strategic partnerships and high-profile collaborative projects in the ICT, healthcare and life sciences, and education sectors.