Prior to joining the centre, Lu Caixia was a print journalist for five years and pursued her Master of Science (Strategic Studies) degree from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University. With a background in media, she is interested not only in understanding the messages that are communicated but also how they affect perception. She is especially interested in following contemporary research and discourse on the tributary system between China and Southeast Asia and studying how these affect Southeast Asian countries’ current perceptions of China and vice versa. Apart from pursuing her own research interests, her work at the centre includes administrative responsibilities such as organising workshops and conferences and editing newsletters among others.