Charles Burton

Charles Burton is a distinguished Canadian sinologist and senior fellow at Sinopsis, a Prague-based research platform focused on China’s influence in global democratic systems. A longtime professor of political science at Brock University Burton has specialized in comparative politics, Confucian political philosophy, and the evolving dynamics of Canada–China relations. He studied at Cambridge University before leaving for Fudan University in Shanghai, where he was among the first Canadian scholars embedded in China’s academic system following the Cultural Revolution.

Burton’s career includes diplomatic service at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing, where he advised on Communist Party communications and strategic developments. As a columnist and commentator, his analyses have appeared in The Globe and Mail, National Post, The Toronto Star, and international outlets. Fluent in Mandarin and deeply versed in Chinese political culture, Burton brings unmatched insight into the ideology, tactics, and global ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party.