A widely recognised scholar in international relations, Professor Tang's research work focuses on three key areas: China's foreign policy and its role in the world; non-traditional security issues facing East Asia (studying the emergence of new threats to human societies such as terrorism, environmental degradation and public health); and Hong Kong's political transition with an eye on its external dimension. In 2008, Professor Tang was named the most influential international relations scholar on Hong Kong's external relations in the last 20 years according to a 10-country survey of international relations faculty by the Teaching Research and International Policy project at the Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations, College of William and Mary. He is presently Director of HKU's Master of International and Public Affairs programme, which he founded.
 

Professor Tang completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Hong Kong before obtaining his Master of Philosophy in International Relations from Cambridge and his Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. In 2002, he completed a Management and Leadership in Education programme at the Graduate School of Education, Harvard University.
 

Well-regarded and highly connected with the international academic community, Professor Tang began his academic career at the National University of Singapore and held visiting appointments at leading universities in China, the United Kingdom and United States as well as a visiting fellowship at the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C.
 

A well sought after speaker in many international conferences, Professor Tang has published extensively in his field and served on the editorial boards of a number of academic journals, including Asia Politics and Policy, China Public Administration Review, International Affairs of the Asia-Pacific, Journal of East Asian Studies, Political Science, and The Pacific Review.
 

He also has been active in policy research. In addition to his work at the renowned Brookings Institution, he has participated in projects sponsored by the United Nations, the Hong Kong Government and business organisations. Outside of the halls of academe, Professor Tang has served as member of Hong Kong's Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee; member of the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation; and Chief Examiner for Advanced Level Examination on Government and Public Affairs for the Hong Kong Examination Authority.