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ChinaTalk

National Intel Council on The IC's Pivot to Asia

Sep 9, 2024
Michael Collins, acting chair of the National Intelligence Council, brings 28 years of intelligence experience focused on East Asia. He discusses how the intelligence community shapes policymaking and the unique challenges of assessing China’s military capabilities. The conversation highlights the importance of collaboration with external experts and the need for transparency in national security narratives. Collins also explores the concept of 'narrative intelligence' and strategies to enhance long-term forecasting, addressing complexities in the U.S.-China relationship.
01:04:29

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Quick takeaways

  • The National Intelligence Council emphasizes a collective analytic view to influence high-level policymaking on global issues, particularly regarding China.
  • Collins highlights the importance of adopting different intelligence collection strategies for non-state actors versus nation-state adversaries amid diverse global dynamics.

Deep dives

Michael Collins' Career and the Role of the National Intelligence Council

Michael Collins has spent nearly three decades in the intelligence community, primarily focusing on East Asia. His various roles have included managing the CIA's East Asian Pacific Mission Center and serving as the Chief Strategy Officer at the CIA. Collins emphasized that the National Intelligence Council (NIC) represents the collective analytic view of the entire U.S. intelligence community, unlike individual agencies. The NIC is responsible for producing crucial assessments, such as national intelligence estimates and global trends reports that project into the future.

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