Biography of David Shear

David Shear is giving the luncheon address at the International China Conference, 12:30 to 1:20 p.m., Friday, Oct. 2, Elaine Langone Center Forum. 

Shear is deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs at the U.S. Department of State. He formerly worked as the director of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. He joined the Department of State in 1982 and has served in Washington, Tokyo, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur and Sapporo.

Shear was Deputy Chief of Mission for the American Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, 2005-2008; Minister Counselor for Political Affairs for the American Embassy in Tokyo, 2001-2005; and Deputy Director, Office of Korean Affairs, 1999-2001.

Shear is a recipient of the Department of State's Superior Honor Award and the Defense Department's Defense Civilian Meritorious Honor Award. He speaks Chinese and Japanese.

Shear graduated from Earlham College and has a master's degree in international affairs from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He also attended Waseda University, Taiwan National University and Nanjing University. He was a Rusk Fellow at Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy in 1998-99.