Dr. Rommel C. Banlaoi earned his PhD in International Relations from Jinan University (JNU). He is currently the Chairman of the Advisory Board of the China Studies Center at New Era University in the Philippines, Non-resident researcher at the Huayang Institute for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance, member of the International Panel of Experts at the Maritime Awareness Project of the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR), and member of the Management Board of the World Association for Chinese Studies (WACS). He previously served as President of the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies (PACS) and Visiting Professors at various universities in China, Europe and Asia.