David Dollar was a senior fellow in Brookings’s John L. Thornton China Center from July 2013 until his passing in October 2023. He was a tremendous friend and colleague, never hesitating to share his profound knowledge and genuine kindness.
David joined Brookings after a career with The World Bank, where among other positions he served as director for China and Mongolia, and a stint with the U.S. Department of Treasury as the department’s economic and financial emissary to China. He was recognized worldwide as a leading expert and well-regarded scholar of the Chinese economy and U.S.-China economic relations. While at Brookings, David published countless commentaries, policy briefs, and research reports, as well as two co-edited books with the Brookings Institution Press: “China 2049: Economic Challenges of a Rising Global Power” with Yiping Huang and Yang Yao (2020) and “The Digital Financial Revolution in China” with Yiping Huang (2022.) He was also creator and host of the successful “Dollar & Sense” podcast.