A graduate in Oriental Studies from Oxford University, John Gittings worked previously at Chatham House, the Universidad de Chile, the Far Eastern Economic Review (Hong Kong), the London School of Economics, and the Polytechnic of Central London (now University of Westminster). His first connection with SOAS was learning Chinese on an RAF course in 1957-58. He was Acting Editor of the China Quarterly in 1971-72.
His books include The Changing Face of China (2005), China Through the Sliding Door (1999), Real China (1996), Superpowers in Collision (with Noam Chomsky and Jonathan Steele (1982), The World and China (1974), and The Role of the Chinese Army (1966). In retirement he has worked on peace history, publishing The Glorious Art of Peace (OUP, 2012 & 2018).
Jenny Chan and John Gittings, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University @2026
