Renowned China watcher Richard Baum dies at 72

Rick Baum

Baum was the driving force behing a global listserv that over the years has become an indispensable tool for China watchers

Noted China watcher Richard Baum, who inspired generations of China experts and harnessed the power of the Internet to bring them together, passed away on Friday after a four-and-a-half year battle with cancer. He was 72. 

Born in Los Angeles in 1940, Baum was an icon in the field of China watching. Over a period stemming more than four decades, he advised US officials, delivered important public lectures and inspired thousands of academics and journalists, budding and established alike, through his unflagging passion for the subject. 

My article, published today in the Taipei Times, continues here.