Heritage Expert

Derek Scissors, Ph.D.

  • Research Fellow

Derek Scissors focuses his studies on the economies of China and India as research fellow for economics in Heritage's Asian Studies Center. He also analyzes and comments on broader economic trends in Asia, as well as related challenges facing the United States.

Scissors has testified before the U.S. House of Representative on rare earth elements, the U.S. Senate on exchange rate disputes between America and China and the U.S.-China Economic and Security Commission on Chinese investment in America.

Scissors’ analysis and commentary have appeared in Foreign Affairs, National Review, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal’s Asia edition and Indian news outlets such as The Hindu. Scissors and his work also have been featured in The Financial Times, The Washington Post, The Economic Times of India and by news agencies such as the Associated Press, Dow Jones, Reuters and Xinhua.

Television audiences know Scissors as a guest commentator on Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, Fox and Fox Business, MSNBC and China’s CCTV, among other major cable and broadcast outlets. His appearances on radio include Fox Radio, National Public Radio and Public Radio International.

Scissors also is adjunct professor at George Washington University, where he teaches a course on the Chinese economy.

Before joining Heritage in August 2008, Scissors was China economist at Intelligence Research, a global consulting firm. He wrote its China Weekly Bulletin, China Watch and China Quarterly Forecast, and counseled clients --primarily Fortune 500 executives -- concerning their China operations.

Scissors has a master's degree in economics from the University of Chicago and a doctorate in international political economy from Stanford University.

He and his wife reside with their two daughters in Bethesda, Md.

Testimonies: 

Chinese State-Owned Enterprises and U.S.–China Economic Relations  
Posted April 1, 2011

Energy-Critical Elements: The Market is Working
Posted December 8, 2011

All Publications by Derek Scissors, Ph.D.
  • Backgrounder posted January 19, 2012 by Lisa Curtis, Derek Scissors, Ph.D. The Limits of the Pakistan-China Alliance

    Abstract: After the U.S. raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan in May 2011, Pakistani political leaders played up their country’s relations with China, touting Beijing as an alternative partner to Washington. But China’s concerns over Pakistan’s future stability will likely limit the… Read more

  • WebMemo posted January 17, 2012 by Derek Scissors, Ph.D. China’s Economic Data Are (Still) Not Credible

    China today announced that gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2011 slowed to 9.2 percent. Over the next days and weeks, there will be a stream of pontificating about what this means. There is a good chance that everyone involved will be pontificating about nonsense. China’s economic… Read more

  • WebMemo posted January 9, 2012 by Derek Scissors, Ph.D. Chinese Outward Investment: Slower Growth in 2011

    Chinese investment has become a notable factor in the world economy and will continue to be for the indefinite future. As a whole, Chinese investment is now maturing in both positive and negative senses. As investment has matured, annual growth has slowed, with growth in some markets stagnating entirely. On… Read more

  • White Paper posted January 6, 2012 by Derek Scissors, Ph.D. China Global Investment Tracker: 2012

    Download the dataset on large Chinese foreign investments: China Global Investment Tracker China's investment overseas is increasingly important to the United States and the international community. The China Global Investment Tracker created by The Heritage Foundation is the only publicly available, comprehensive dataset… Read more

  • WebMemo posted November 2, 2011 by Derek Scissors, Ph.D. Rare Earth Market Fine Without Government Interference

    It may have seemed as if the prices of rare earth elements could only rise, but they have recently dropped quite a bit. The drop—and what is behind it—is an excellent reminder of why government should not use price fluctuations as an excuse to interfere in markets.   … Read more

  • WebMemo posted October 18, 2011 by Derek Scissors, Ph.D., J.D. Foster, Ph.D. Avoiding America’s Lost Decades

    The warning bells were sounded in early 2009: The U.S. government had to act swiftly and forcefully to avoid repeating Japan’s painful experience of sustained economic stagnation.[1] The Obama Administration’s policies have failed to this point, and Japanese-style long-term stagnation may well ensue unless a fundamental course correction… Read more

  • WebMemo posted October 5, 2011 by James Roberts, Derek Scissors, Ph.D. Corruption in India: More Government Is Not the Solution

    Protesters took to the streets throughout India in the summer of 2011, demanding the establishment of a powerful new anti-corruption watchdog agency. In the aftermath of numerous high-profile corruption cases, the demonstrators’ wrath and intensity are understandable. Their demands, however, are misdirected. Adding yet another agency to… Read more

  • Backgrounder posted October 4, 2011 by Derek Scissors, Ph.D. The Facts About China’s Currency, Chinese Subsidies, and American Jobs

    Abstract: There is great concern in the U.S. about Chinese currency policy costing American jobs. But over two decades, there has been no evidence that a weak yuan causes high American unemployment. What American policymakers should focus on is other Chinese actions that do… Read more

  • WebMemo posted August 30, 2011 by Bruce Klingner, Derek Scissors, Ph.D. The U.S. Needs a Real Partner in the New Japanese Prime Minister

    As dependable as the tide, a new prime minister has washed ashore in Japan. Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda is the latest iteration of what has become an annual ritual of Japanese leadership change. Prime Minister Naoto Kan has been unceremoniously tossed aside, although his 15-month term will be remembered as… Read more

  • Backgrounder posted August 18, 2011 by Derek Scissors, Ph.D. What Indian Economic Reform Could Mean for the U.S.

    Abstract: Summer 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of major market reforms in India. Unfortunately, reform is no longer progressing, which is harming the Indian economy. The reform halt has also greatly inhibited the development of the U.S.–India economic… Read more