Shows
MERICS China PodcastCCP priorities and the Fourth Plenum, with Alexander DaveyAhead of the Fourth Plenum of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), this episode of the MERICS China Podcast looks at three issues that are high on the priority list for Chinese decisionmakers, namely urban development, social welfare and global trade tensions. Alexander Davey, Analyst in the Politics and Society Program at MERICS, joins Johannes Heller-John to talk about some of the CCP’s priorities for the next months, the upcoming Fourth Plenum from October 20 to 23 and the 15th Five-Year Plan.You can also watch our media briefing on th...
2025-10-1824 minMERICS China PodcastChina aims for self-reliance in AI, with Wendy Chang and Antonia HmaidiArtificial Intelligence is reshaping the way we live and work, and its potential use in military applications could alter the global balance of power. The Chinese Communist Party is taking note of this development. During a Politburo study session focused on AI in April, China’s party and state leader Xi Jinping urged a nationwide mobilization to achieve “self-reliance and self-strengthening” in AI. Wendy Chang and Antonia Hmaidi – analysts in the Science, Technology and Innovation Program at MERICS – join Johannes Heller-John to assess China’s aims and progress on its self-sufficiency drive in AI...
2025-07-2230 minMERICS China PodcastChina’s National Security White Paper, with Katja Drinhausen und Helena LegardaWith an uncertain geopolitical environment and ongoing competition with the US and Europe, national security has become even more important than before in China. So much so that a National Security White Paper, the first of its kind, was published in May of 2025.How has China’s approach to security changed under the changing international environment? What new risks does the paper identify domestically and internationally? And what implications does it have for Europe? In this episode Katja Drinhausen, Head of Program Politics and Society at MERICS, and Helena Legarda, Lead Analyst at ME...
2025-07-0432 minMERICS China PodcastChina’s overcapacities, with Max J. Zenglein and Jacob GunterHigh US tariffs on China have raised concerns in the EU of Chinese goods being rerouted from the US to Europe. This has also rekindled an ongoing discussion about overcapacities in the Chinese industry. Why are they a danger to European industries? What drives them in China? And what options do European decisionmakers have?Max J. Zenglein, Chief Economist at MERICS, and Jacob Gunter, Lead Analyst at MERICS, are two of the lead authors of the recent report “Beyond overcapacity: Chinese-style modernization and the clash of economic models”. They join Johannes Heller-John f...
2025-05-0223 minMERICS China PodcastDie Bundestagswahl von China aus gesehen, mit Kristin Shi-KupferDie Wahlen zum Deutschen Bundestag vom 23. Februar wurden auch in China aufmerksam verfolgt. Kristin Shi-Kupfer, Professorin für Sinologie an der Universität Trier und Senior Associate Fellow bei MERICS, berichtet in dieser Ausgabe unseres Podcasts, warum Alice Weidel in den Online-Foren so stark diskutiert wird, was die Netizens über Friedrich Merz denken und wie Deutschlands Rolle im transatlantischen Verhältnis sowie in den Beziehungen zu China gesehen wird. Die Fragen stellt Claudia Wessling, Leiterin Kommunikation & Publikationen bei MERICS. Diese Folge des MERICS China Podcasts ist Teil von China Spektrum, ein Proje...
2025-03-0721 minMERICS China PodcastKontrollierte Vielfalt – Chinas soziale Medien, mit Kristin Shi-Kupfer und Katja DrinhausenEinige der weltweit größten und erfolgreichsten Social Media Plattformen sind in China – mehrere davon mit hunderten Millionen Nutzern. Sie sind Ort für soziale Interaktion, Unterhaltung, Nachrichten und Wissensaustausch. Auch politische Themen werden diskutiert wie beispielsweise Debatten zur Anhebung des Rentenalters, zur Familienplanungspolitik sowie zur Rolle von Künstlicher Intelligenz für den chinesischen Arbeitsmarkt. Die Debatten spiegeln auch sozioökonomische Spannungen im Land wider.Vor dem Nationalen Volkskongress – formal Chinas Parlament, dessen einmal jährliche zehntägige Sitzung am 5. März beginnt – geben Kristin Shi-Kupfer, Professorin für Sinologie an der Universität Trier und Senior...
2025-03-0429 minMERICS China Podcast"China in 25": Zölle, USA, China in Wahlprogrammen„China in 25“ ist ein neues Podcast-Format von MERICS: In maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China im laufenden Jahr 2025. In der ersten Folge geht es um den Zollstreit zwischen den USA und China, die Herausforderungen einer transatlantischen Koordination in der China-Politik – und dem Thema China in deutschen Wahlprogrammen. Diese Folge wurde am 13. Februar aufgezeichnet.Mehr zu den Themen dieser Folge lesen Sie hier: Prioritäten für die transatlantische Koordination zu China, MERICS-Studie für die Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz 2025 Handelskrieg USA-China + E...
2025-02-1918 minMERICS China PodcastChina’s economy in 2025, with Max ZengleinChina’s economy ended 2024 on a stronger-than-expected note. GDP expanded by 5.4 percent in the fourth quarter, bringing full-year growth to five percent – exactly as forecasted by the Chinese leadership. This momentum gives the leadership a good position to face an uncertain 2025, but significant challenges remain. In this episode Johannes Heller-John talks to MERICS Chief Economist Max Zenglein about his takes on the state of China’s economy. MERICS Members can read the latest MERICS Economic Indicators for a more detailed analysis.
2025-01-2314 minMERICS China PodcastChina and the race for quantum leadership, with Antonia Hmaidi and Jeroen Groenewegen-LauChina is vying for leadership in quantum research and applications. But it is still early days, and front runners and technical approaches have not yet been consolidated. Johannes Heller-John talks to Antonia Hmaidi, Senior Analyst at MERICS and lead of the MERICS' data task force, and Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau, Head of Program "Science, Technology and Innovation" at MERICS, about China’s race for quantum leadership. Their most recent report “China’s long view on Quantum Tech has the US and the EU playing catch up” is part of...
2025-01-1026 minMERICS China PodcastFighting local government debt, with Victor Shih and Max ZengleinAfter months of weak economic performance, Beijing has introduced a series of measures aimed at stabilizing the economy. They include a 10 trillion yuan local government debt restructuring package.To shed light on the blatant levels of local government indebtedness, Claudia Wessling, Director Communications and Publications at MERICS, talks to Victor Shih and Max Zenglein. Victor is a professor of political science, director of the 21st Century China Center at the School of Global Policy and Strategy and the Ho Miu Lam Chair in China and Pacific Relations at UC San Diego...
2024-11-2935 minMERICS China PodcastChina and Trump's election victory, with Jude Blanchette and Katja DrinhausenWhat will the renewed election of Donald Trump to the White House mean for the United States’ already complicated relations with China? How does China discuss Trump, both on an informal and expert level, but also in the official realm? And how does all of this concern the EU and member states?To answer these questions Claudia Wessling, Director Communications and Publications at MERICS, talks to Jude Blanchette and Katja Drinhausen. Jude is one of the most outstanding US experts on China. He is the director of the RAND China Research Ce...
2024-11-2231 minMERICS China PodcastResuming the EU-China people to people dialogue, with Jean-Louis Rocca, Katja Drinhausen and Abigaël VasselierThe high-level EU-China people-to-people dialogue is planned to be resumed this spring. The last installment happened in 2020, and this podcast episode looks at the relevance and aims of the format and what might be considered as a successful outcome. Claudia Wessling, MERICS Director of Communications and Publications, is joined by Jean-Louis Rocca, Katja Drinhausen and Abigaël Vasselier. Jean-Louis is a professor at the renowned Sciences Po University in Paris, and a member of the EU-funded project China Horizons – Dealing with a re...
2024-03-0733 minMERICS China PodcastThe rise of China’s high-tech SMEs, with Alexander Brown and François ChimitsBeijing’s industrial policy increasingly puts the focus on the cultivation of high-tech small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This MERICS Podcast episode looks at the emergence of China’s “Little Giants,” as well as Beijing’s goals, key policies, and implications for foreign companies. We also delve into developments in medical technologies, one of the key sectors outlined in the “Made in China 2025” strategy. Christine Krüger talks with MERICS analysts Alexander Brown and François Chimits. They are the co-authors of two MERICS reports on the topic: “Accelerator state...
2024-02-0932 minMERICS China PodcastTaiwan presidential elections, with Angela KöckritzShortly before the presidential elections on January 13, author and journalist – and former MERICS Senior Policy Fellow – Angela Köckritz travelled to Taiwan to follow the debates on the ground. In this MERICS podcast, she talks to Claudia Wessling about an exciting head-to-head race, Taiwan's approaches to deal with increasing disinformation and fake news from China and the debate about military service and defense policies. She recently wrote a MERICS Report on China’s disinformation offensive in Taiwan.---This podcast episode is part of the “Dealing with a Resurge...
2024-01-1133 minMERICS China PodcastCountering Chinese disinformation in the EU, with Ivana Karásková and Grzegorz StecHow have Chinese attempts to shape the public opinion in Europe evolved? How does it differ from Russian disinformation? And how does the EU try to counter it? In this episode of the MERICS China Podcast, Johannes Heller-John talks to Ivana Karásková and Grzegorz Stec. Ivana is a European China Policy Fellow at MERICS and the founder of projects MapInfluenCE and China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe (CHOICE) at Association for International Affairs (AMO) in Prague. She is also a Special Advisor to Vice-President of the European Commission Věra Jourová, for...
2023-11-2438 minMERICS China PodcastChina’s economic trajectory, with Bert Hofman and Jacob GunterAfter a decade in power, party and state leader Xi Jinping has fundamentally reshaped China’s political economy in pursuit of the Chinese Communist Party’s long-term goal: to return to a strong and prosperous China at the heart of the global economy. As the CCP approaches the 2023 Third Plenum, an event which will give important indications on the future of China’s economy, Christine Krüger is talking to Bert Hofman, Director of the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore, and Senior Associate Fellow at MERICS, and Jacob Gunter, Lead An...
2023-10-1227 minMERICS China PodcastWie China sein Bild im Ausland kontrolliert, mit Katja Drinhausen und Mareike OhlbergWie versucht Beijing das Chinabild in Deutschland und Europa zu prägen? Was unternimmt die chinesische Regierung, um Kritik zu unterbinden? Und wo hört legitime Eigenwerbung auf und fängt Propaganda an? Zu diesen und anderen Fragen spricht Johannes Heller-John mit Katja Drinhausen, Leiterin des Programms Politik und Gesellschaft am MERICS, und Mareike Ohlberg, Senior Fellow im Indopazifik Programm des German Marshall Funds. Sie geben Einblicke in die Formen chinesischer Einflussnahme in Deutschland und einen möglichen Umgang damit.Zusammen mit MERICS Analyst Grzegorz Stec und European China Poli...
2023-10-0647 minMERICS China PodcastHow China and Russia approach sanctions, with Francesca Ghiretti and Maria ShaginaInternational sanctions have become a common tool in the relationship between the US, the EU, and China in the last decade. If we add the sanctions on Russia in connection with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine into the mix and the question of Chinese adherence or circumvention of them, it seems high time that we devote some time to talking about Chinese thinking on this tool of international coercion. In this episode of the MERICS China Podcast, we talk to MERICS Analyst Francesca Ghiretti, who has recently written a report on the evolution of China’s...
2023-07-1932 minMERICS China PodcastChina setzt 2023 auf wirtschaftliche Erholung, mit Max J. Zenglein2022 war ein turbulentes Jahr für Chinas Wirtschaft, die strikte Null-Covid-Politik der chinesischen Regierung und sich ständig ändernde Vorgaben und Regeln sorgten für Unsicherheit. Mit dem Ende der Corona-Lockdowns wächst nun die Hoffnung auf eine Erholung. Mit MERICS Chief Economist Max J. Zenglein blickt Johannes Heller-John auf die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung im vierten Quartal 2022, die Aussichten für Chinas Wirtschaft in den kommenden Monaten und die Auswirkungen auf deutsche und europäische Unternehmen. Chinas Wirtschaftsentwicklung ist auch Thema der MERICS Economic Indicators. MERICS Members haben Zugriff auf die gesamte Analyse...
2023-02-0308 minMERICS China PodcastAssessing the MERICS China Forecast 2023, with Roderick Kefferpütz2023 will be a critical year for China. The party leadership around Xi Jinping is faced with an unprecedented health crisis and a troubled economy, while it must balance its relationships with the US and Europe with its "no-limits" partnership with Russia.To anticipate what 2023 might have in store for us, we conducted the 4th MERICS China Forecast Survey involving 880 China experts and members of the public. In a conference on January 18, 2023, our experts and a line-up of high-level speakers discussed the survey’s findings and their expectations.Roderick Kefferpütz, Senior Analyst at MER...
2023-01-2719 minMERICS China PodcastDer 20. Parteitag der kommunistischen Partei, mit Nis Grünberg und Johnny ErlingIm Fokus des 20. Parteitags der Kommunistischen Partei Chinas steht dieses Jahr die Bestätigung von Chinas Staats- und Parteichef Xi Jinping in seinem Amt für eine dritte Amtszeit. Kontrovers wird diese historische Entscheidung jedoch nicht sein, denn Xi hat die kommunistische Partei fest in der Hand.Was von dem Parteitag erwartet werden kann und wie es danach voraussichtlich weitergeht, diskutieren Nis Grünberg, Senior Analyst bei MERICS, und Johnny Erling, Senior Fellow bei MERICS. Im Gespräch mit Johannes Heller-John sprechen sie zudem über potentielle Neuzugänge in den mächtigst...
2022-10-1425 minMERICS China PodcastGlobal views on China, with Helena Legarda and Jacob GunterVarious crisis scenarios - above all Russia's war in Ukraine - are reinforcing the impression that the world is moving toward a new formation of blocs. At the same time, Beijing seeks to use its growing global power and influence to shape the global order in its favor. How do countries in the Global South that cannot be so clearly classified to one bloc or the other view China's role in the changing international power structure and US-China competition? In this podcast, MERICS Director Communications and Publications Claudia Wessling discusses the latest MERICS Paper on China "Beyond...
2022-09-0231 minMERICS China PodcastÖffentliche Debatten in China, mit Kristin Shi-Kupfer und Katja DrinhausenTrotz Zensur und Kontrolle gibt es immer noch ein breites Spektrum an Meinungen in China. Wo liegen die Grenzen des Sagbaren, und wie verschieben sie sich? Was erlaubt die Regierung, und wann schreitet sie ein? In welchem Verhältnis stehen die Äußerungen von Experten, Meinungsführern und Netzbürgern gegenüber offiziellen Positionen? Und: Können öffentliche Debatten politische Veränderungen bewirken? Mit diesen Fragen befasst sich das Projekt China Spektrum, eine Kooperation von MERICS und dem China-Institut der Universität Trier. Gefördert wird das Projekt durch die Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit...
2022-08-0424 minMERICS China PodcastMERICS Event Podcast: The return of uncertainty in ChinaChina is experiencing turbulent times: Covid-19 lockdowns in many cities and provinces have sent the Chinese economy into a dramatic decline, censors are having a difficult time keeping the Chinese internet free from statements of public discontent and rumors about political frictions. And as the war in Ukraine rages on, the Chinese leadership's course of alignment with Moscow is putting a strain on relations with Europe and the US. Beijing is confronted with unprecedented uncertainties. Do these factors merge to form a perfect storm that challenges the system’s resilience? MERICS Executive Director Mikko Huotari and...
2022-06-1053 minMERICS China PodcastThe BRI and the war in Ukraine, with Francesca Ghiretti and Jacob MardellRail freight between China and Europe is probably the main symbol of the Belt and Road Initiative for many in Europe. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, however, the steady flow of trains and goods has been disrupted. In this episode will look the impacts of the war in Ukraine on the BRI, how China is changing and adapting the BRI, and what that means for decision makers in Europe. We are joined by Francesca Ghiretti and Jacob Mardell, Analyst and Research Fellow at MERICS respectively. They are co-authors of the latest MERICS Gl...
2022-05-2722 minMERICS China PodcastHow Beijing could make progress with its common prosperity agenda, with Bert Hofmann and Mikko HuotariAt the National People's Congress that is about to wrap up in Beijing, Premier Li Keqiang reiterated the ambitious "Common Prosperity" policy. Joint efforts in line with the opening-up policy would be needed to achieve this ambitious goal, Li said at a press conference. In this episode of our podcast, Bert Hofman, the Director of the East Asian Institute at National University of Singapore and MERICS Executive Director Mikko Huotari discuss the instruments China relies on in its efforts for a more equal distribution of income and wealth with MERICS Director Communications and...
2022-03-1123 min
MERICS China PodcastChina's subnational diplomacy in Germany and Europe, with Roderick KefferpützChina and European countries entertain relations with each other not only at the state level. During past decades, a close network of partnerships between Chinese provinces, European regions or federal states and also cities and municipalities has emerged. On subnational channels, there are a lot of oftentimes mutually beneficial exchanges - in business and politics, but also at the level of civil society. It is very challenging for a federally organized country like Germany, but also other European regions, to deal with actors from China who are following strategies prescribed by a centralized party state. MERICS Senior A...
2021-11-2619 min
MERICS China PodcastChinas subnationale Diplomatie in Deutschland, mit Roderick KefferpützSeit Jahrzehnten gibt es ein enges Partnerschaftsgeflecht zwischen chinesischen Provinzen, deutschen Bundesländern und auch Kommunen und Städten. Es ist lebhafter Austausch entstanden in Wirtschaft und Politik, aber auch auf zivilgesellschaftlicher Ebene. Unter der Regierung von Xi Jinping folgt allerdings auch Chinas subnationale Diplomatie immer stärker den Vorgaben des Zentralstaats - für ein föderal organisiertes Land wie Deutschland ist das sehr herausfordernd. Das hat auch Roderick Kefferpütz, wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter bei MERICS, in einer Umfrage unter Vertreterinnen und Vertretern in sechs Bundesländern erfahren. Die Ergebnisse seiner Recherche hat er in zwei neu...
2021-11-2614 min
MERICS China PodcastHelena Legarda on the EU security in the Indo-PacificAs tensions are increasing in the Indo-Pacific, the EU is exploring ways to contribute to the security framework in the region. In doing so, the bloc has to navigate the complex dynamics between its ambitions and capabilities as well as reactions from both China and like-minded partners. But what exactly is the EU’s objective in the security realm and can it achieve it?In this episode, we talk to Helena Legarda Senior Analyst at MERICS, who is an expert on Chinas defense and foreign policy and its geopolitical impact. She is also th...
2021-10-1525 minMERICS China PodcastAriane Reimers on Germany’s future China policyOn September 26, Germany held its first election in 16 years without Angela Merkel. Her party, the Christian Democratic (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) suffered great losses, receiving only 24.1 percent of the votes. The center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) won by a small margin with 25.7 percent. The Green Party (14.8 percent) and the Liberals (FDP, 11.5 percent) will now play a crucial role in forming a coalition. Both, an SPD-led government under chancellor Olaf Scholz, and a CDU/CSU government with Armin Laschet as chancellor, are theoretically possible.While the parties are beginning to explore...
2021-10-0413 minMERICS China PodcastAriane Reimers zur China-Politik nach den BundestagswahlenDeutschland hat gewählt. Unter einer neuen Bundesregierung könnte sich auch in der deutschen China-Politik einiges ändern. Angela Merkel verfolgte einen vor allem auf Kooperation gerichteten Ansatz. Doch wie stehen die Parteien, die bald über Koalitionsoptionen verhandeln, zu China? FDP und Grüne, die vermutlich Juniorpartner in der künftigen Regierung sein werden, stehen durchaus für kritischere Ansätze. Doch werden sie sich durchsetzen? Und wie wirkt sich das alles auf die China-Politik der EU aus, auch im Verhältnis zu den USA? Zu Gast im MERICS Podcast ist MERICS Senior Policy Fellow Ariane Reimers, ehemals A...
2021-09-3011 min
MERICS China PodcastJan Weidenfeld über die transatlantische China-PolitikDie G7-, NATO- und EU-US-Gipfeltreffen im Juni haben gezeigt, wie wichtig das Thema China auch in den transatlantischen Beziehungen ist. Während die USA auf eine härtere Gangart gegenüber China drängen, tendiert zum Beispiel Deutschland zu einem weniger konfrontativen Ansatz. In dieser Folge des MERICS-Podcasts diskutiert Claudia Wessling, Leiterin Kommunikation und Publikationen, mit Jan Weidenfeld, Leiter Policy und Advisory bei MERICS. Jan ist einer der Autoren eines neuen Berichts der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz, der Aspen Strategy Group und von MERICS. Die Studie skizziert Prioritäten und gibt Empfehlungen für Strategien zur Gestaltung der transatlantischen China-P...
2021-07-1410 min
MERICS China PodcastHelena Legarda on China’s new concept of comprehensive national securityThe leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) considers itself as being in the midst of the most challenging period of its rule. In the eyes of party leaders, potential threats to regime security wait behind every corner and all matters are, therefore, seen through the prism of national security. This behavior is no longer limited to the domestic sphere but has expanded to the international stage. In this episode of the MERICS Podcast, Helena Legarda explains what drives China’s international behavior. Helena is a Senior Analyst at MERICS and an expert on China’s foreign and security poli...
2021-07-0914 min
MERICS China PodcastKatja Drinhausen on the CCP and digitalizationDigitalization is a crucial element of the Chinese Communist Party’s governance approach. It serves to improve governance and public service, but also enhances the party state’s surveillance and monitoring capabilities. In this episode of the MERICS experts podcast, MERICS Senior Analyst Katja Drinhausen explains how the CCP has embraced digitization as a governance tool, the extent of digital surveillance in China, the party’s vision for a digitalized China, and its global implications. Katja is one of the authors “The CCP in 2021: smart governance, cyber sovereignty and tech supremacy”, a chapter in our MERICS Paper on China o...
2021-06-2213 min
MERICS China PodcastRadoslaw Sikorski on EU's sanctions row with China and the transatlantic partnership“The EU's policy towards China should be based on the following principles: cooperate where possible, compete where needed, confront where necessary.” This is the vision of the European People’s Party’s (EPP) strategy paper on European relations with China released in the beginning of March. In this episode of MERICS Experts we talk to its author, Radosław Sikorski, Member of the European Parliament for the European People’s Party and chair of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the United States.The conversation touches on a range of strategic issues related to EU-China r...
2021-03-3117 min
MERICS China PodcastPlamen Tonchev on 17+1’s past, present and futureOn February 9, China’s President Xi Jinping held an online 17+1 summit with representatives from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. The summit would normally be attended by Chinese Premier and CEE Prime Ministers, making Xi’s decision to take Li Keqiang’s place a boost to the meeting’s importance. The format has been controversial - with Brussels and Western capitals maintaining that it undermines European unity, while leaving many Central and Eastern Europeans critical of its underperformance and China maintaining it to be a success. So what are the outcomes of the summit and what future awaits the 17+1 framewor...
2021-02-1937 min
MERICS China PodcastGlobal Challenges 2021: Decoupling, climate and connectivityAccompanying our MERICS China Forecast 2021 event, MERICS experts wages a look at three global challenges in 2021, namely decoupling and the evolution of multilateralism, cooperation and competition in the climate crisis, and the development of connectivity in a world plagued by a pandemic. For every section we are proud to introduce a very accomplished and knowledgeable guest.Our first guest is the Honorable Kevin Rudd, CEO and President of the Asia Society, and President of the Asia Society Policy Institute. Mr. Rudd served as Australia’s 26th Prime Minister (2007-2010, 2013) and as its Foreign Minister (2010-2012). He...
2021-01-1352 min
MERICS China PodcastMatt Ferchen on US-China relations after the US presidential electionFrom a highly publicized trade war to assigning blame for the coronavirus pandemic, US-China relations have loomed large during the Trump presidency and have worsened over time. With a new administration under president elect Joe Biden taking charge in January 2021, what will change and what will remain the same? Head of Global China Research at MERICS, Matt Ferchen, joins MERICS Experts to assess the prospects for change in US-China relations under a future Biden administration. He recently authored two opinion pieces – on divergent views in Washington on US policy towards China and Chinese perceptions of the US be...
2020-11-1029 min
MERICS China PodcastHelena Legarda: Engagement with China has too often neglected the geopolitical dimensionChina has taken on a more confident and aggressive role as a global actor by expanding economically, politically and militarily, becoming a force to be reckoned with in virtually all aspects of geopolitical competition. Xi Jinping has made it clear that China has ambitions to become a global power by 2049. How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected these ambitions? MERICS Senior Analyst Helena Legarda joins MERICS Experts to present her latest article “Engaging in effective geopolitical competition”, which is part of the MERICS Paper on China titled "Towards a 'principles first approach' in Europe’s China policy...
2020-09-2515 min
MERICS China PodcastKristin Shi-Kupfer über Hongkong nach Einführung des Nationalen SicherheitsgesetzesWas droht Hongkong, nachdem innerhalb von nur sechs Wochen seit Inkrafttreten des Nationalen Sicherheitsgesetzes die Meinungs- und Pressefreiheit bereits so drastisch eingeschränkt und die Parlamentswahlen verschoben wurden? Was bedeutet Chinas Vorgehen in Hongkong für Taiwan, und was kann das Ausland tun, um einen weiteren Demokratieabbau zu verhindern? In dieser Ausgabe von MERICS Experts diskutieren Kristin Shi-Kupfer, Leiterin des Forschungsbereichs Politik und Gesellschaft am MERICS, und Kerstin Lohse-Friedrich.
2020-08-1330 min
MERICS China PodcastTom Bayes: Security is only one aspect of China's growing influence in AfricaThe discussion of Sino-African relations continues to be dominated by China’s economic activities and aspirations. However, the People's Republic has been working for more than a decade to establish itself as a serious actor in security policy on the African continent and has already made significant progress. Former MERICS Academic Research Fellow Tom Bayes joins MERICS Experts to present his new report “China’s growing peace and security role in Africa: views from West Africa, implications for Europe” published by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Mercator Institute for China Studies. He talks about challenges of doing fieldwork in the s...
2020-07-1624 min
MERICS China PodcastNoah Barkin on US sanctions on tech exportsEurope is increasingly being put in a tight spot between its biggest trading partners China and the US. Especially in view of the upcoming 5G network expansion, the latter has put pressure on the EU and European countries to exclude the Chinese tech-company Huawei from European networks. China, on the other hand, has hinted at economic consequences should Chinese companies be banned. While this dispute remains unresolved, new conflicts are already on the horizon as the US gears up to sanction the export of sensitive technological equipment to China. The MERICS experts podcast looks at how the US puts...
2020-02-2523 min
MERICS China PodcastVictor Shih on the coronavirus outbreak and the authoritarian stateSince several weeks, China is struggling with a severe coronavirus outbreak. China’s regime and its leader Xi Jinping are facing huge criticism in handling the crisis – both internally and internationally. Given this situation, questions arise on how an authoritarian state deals with such a crisis. Can China control an epidemic from the top down? What are the political and economic impacts? Where are potential pathways to instability? And what are currently the most important factors for stability in China? Which measures has the CCP taken so far and do they demonstrate strength or weakness of the system? How much...
2020-02-1933 minMERICS China PodcastPradeep Taneja on China and the Indian OceanChina is increasingly active in the Indian Ocean – be it through trade, port calls or research activities. This development is watched closely by the countries in the region and beyond. How do these states respond to this shift? How does this activity impact China’s relationship to India? And should it concern the European Union? To answer these and more questions I was joined by Pradeep Taneja, former visiting academic fellow at MERICS and fellow of the Australia India Institute and an Associate of the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies, both at the University of Melb...
2020-02-1726 min
MERICS China PodcastShen Dingli and Jagannath Panda on China-India relationsJanuary 29, 2020The relationship between India and China, while fraud with difficult issues like border disputes, has been on a positive trajectory. After a low point in 2017, when Chinese and Indian forces faced each other in a border standoff, president of China, Xi Jinping, and prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, have met twice for informal meetings. In 2020, both countries celebrate 70 years of official diplomatic relations.Jagannath Panda, Research Fellow and Centre Coordinator for East Asia at the Institute for Denfense Studies and Analysis (IDSA) in New Dehli, and Shen Dingli, former executive Dean at the Institute of International Studies...
2020-01-2935 min
MERICS China PodcastBertram Lang on International Civil Society Organizations and ChinaJanuary 16, 2020What are the implications of China’s growing global influence for the future work of International Civil Society Organizations (ICSOs)? How can organizations – such as Oxfam, Amnesty International, Save the Children or Transparency International – deal with China, Chinese partners and the Chinese Communist Party?In this episode of our MERICS Experts podcast, Bertram Lang, author of the recently released “Sector Guide” on China that was written on behalf of the International Civil Society Centre, is discussing these and other aspects of ICSOs and their relationship to China with Kerstin Lohse-Friedrich, Director of Communications at MERICS.Mr. Lang says that “agai...
2020-01-1636 min
MERICS China PodcastMERICS Lunch Talk on the future of Hong KongDecember 20, 2019With no end in sight to nearly seven months of political tension, Hong Kong’s role as a financial hub crucial for the prosperity of China’s economy is being put to the test. The special administrative region’s economy has suffered as travelers avoid the city and locals cut back on retail spending. Yet the financial sector appears to remain relatively unaffected. But the protests have led to a stricter political environment. Economic liberties that once gave the city its special standing are increasingly at risk of being undermined. Listen to a panel discussion recorded just after the Ho...
2019-12-2056 min
MERICS China PodcastChina as a major actor in climate policy – PreviewDecember 12, 2019The international community is currently holding its 25th Conference of Parties in Madrid to negotiate climate protection targets and measures. As the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, China is a major player in the discussions on how to achieve effective action for climate protection. One day before the China Renewable Energy Outlook 2019 was presented in Madrid on December 12, China’s role in climate policy was the topic at a MERICS Lunch talk. The panel included Carolin Schenuit (Team Leader for System and Market Integration of Renewable Energies at the German Energy Agency, dena) and Lars Møllenbach Bregnbæk, p...
2019-12-121h 00
MERICS China PodcastSascha und Michael Storfner: Berichterstattung aus China10. Dezember 2019Gemeinsam mit ihren zwei Kindern erlebten die beiden ARD-Journalisten Sascha und Michael Storfner den Alltag als Korrespondenten und als Familie in Peking. Anhand von Filmbeispielen berichteten sie in der China Lounge über ihre privaten und dienstlichen Reisen nach Xinjiang, über Überwachung im Alltag sowie über das Aufkeimen der Proteste in Hongkong. Immer wieder haben sie sich mit großer Begeisterung auch den „Chinesen auf der Straße“ gewidmet, den „bunten Themen“, wie sie in den Redaktionen genannt werden. Das Gespräch führte Kerstin Lohse-Friedrich, Leiterin Kommunikation am MERICS. Einen gekürzten Mitschnitt hören Sie jetzt im MERICS Experts Pod
2019-12-1059 min
MERICS China PodcastRui Ma on China’s fast-changing internet industryNovember 22, 2019China leads the world in the number of unicorn startups, many of which are e-commerce and other Internet-based businesses. New e-commerce platforms are emerging alongside established players, such as Pinduoduo, the group buying platform that trails only Alibaba in number of users and has become one of China’s five most valuable Internet companies. TikTok owner Bytedance recently revised its revenue target for 2019 to 120 billion RMB, from an earlier goal set late last year of 100 billion. At the same time, the US-China trade dispute is putting relations between China and Silicon Valley under strain. Angel investor and entrepreneur Ru...
2019-11-2238 min
MERICS China PodcastPeter Gries: How do Germans feel and think about China, and why?November 8, 2019How do Germans feel and think about China, and why? What are the primary ideological drivers of their views? And how do they differ from other European partners or the US? In this episode of our MERICS Experts podcast, Peter Hays Gries, Lee Kai Hung Chair and Director of the Manchester China Institute at the University of Manchester, where he is also Professor of Chinese politics, is discussing these and other aspects of China’s perception in Western countries with Kerstin Lohse-Friedrich, Director of Communications at MERICS.
2019-11-0818 min
MERICS China PodcastChen Xiangming on the China-Europe Freight TrainOctober 31, 2019Since the first China-Europe freight train reached Duisburg from the megacity of Chongqing in southwestern China in 2011, the number of trains and routes have multiplied to various and frequent services. The trains carry containerized goods between Chinese cities and major European urban centers. The China-Europe Freight Train (CEFT) is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its Go West Strategy. What kind of opportunities and challenges will the implementation of the China-Europe Freight Train (CEFT) face? What local impact will it have? In this episode of our MERICS Experts podcast, Chen Xiangming, Professor at Trinity Co...
2019-10-3134 min
MERICS China PodcastMax Zenglein: „Noch ist das Wirtschaftswachstum im grünen Bereich“23. März, 2019Chinas Wirtschaft ist im dritten Quartal so langsam gewachsen wie seit 27 Jahren nicht mehr. Das Wirtschaftswachstum lag bei 6 Prozent, im bisherigen Jahresverlauf bei 6,2 Prozent. Handelskrieg, schwächelnde Binnenkonjunktur und eine steigende Verschuldung nennt Max Zenglein, Leiter des Programms Wirtschaft am MERICS, im Gespräch mit Kerstin Lohse-Friedrich als Gründe für Chinas nachlassendes Wirtschaftswachstum. Er und sein Team haben gerade wieder die aktuelle Ausgabe der MERICS Economic Indicators erstellt, die vier Mal im Jahr erscheint: https://www.merics.org/en/merics-trackers/economic-indicators-q3-2019
2019-10-2410 min
MERICS China PodcastAbdul Abiad on the US-China trade conflict and its impact on AsiaOctober 18, 2019Growth prospects in developing Asia are dimming. Slowing activity in major advanced economies, the ongoing US-China trade conflict, and a sharp downturn in the global electronics cycle necessitate a reassessment of the region’s outlook. How much will Asia’s growth slow? How might the trade war evolve, and how is it affecting countries in the region? In this episode of our MERICS Experts podcast, Claudia Wessling, Head of Publications at MERICS, talks to Abdul Abiad, Director of the Macroeconomic Research Division of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Abiad was in Berlin to present the ADB’s Asia...
2019-10-1823 min
MERICS China PodcastMERICS China Dispute: 70th anniversary of PRC - Can the CCP deliver its China Dream?October 1, 2019On September 26th, MERICS hosted a China Dispute on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC. Leading experts from Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Canada discussed if the CCP - after 70 years of rule and facing intensely challenging domestic and international environments - can deliver its “China Dream”, create a more just and equal society, and reestablish the social contract between the leadership and the people?Kristin Shi-Kupfer, Director of Public Policy and Society at MERICS, moderated the debate featuring Sarah Eaton (Professor for Transregional China Studies in the Institute for Asian and African Studies at Humb...
2019-10-0158 min
MERICS China PodcastAdnan Aamir on BRI in Pakistan “Change has been nowhere near what was expected”September 25, 2019The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is often referred to as the flagship project of China' Belt and Road Initiative. However, five years into the project, “change has been nowhere near what was expected,” says Adnan Aamir, founder and editor of the Pakistani online newspaper Balochistan Voices. So far, the Pakistani chapter of the BRI neither solved the energy crisis nor did it create new industries, jobs or opportunities for Pakistani companies. Pakistan's new government, in office since August 2018, is now reviewing some of the far reaching BRI contracts. Claudia Wessling, Head of Publications at MERICS, talked to Adna...
2019-09-2525 min
MERICS China PodcastHelena Legarda: “Military conflict about Taiwan is nobody’s preferred option at the moment”August 6, 2019For the first time in four years, China has released a major defense white paper. While much of its content is familiar from previous white papers, the line taken on the United States and Taiwan is markedly more aggressive, says MERICS analyst Helena Legarda, author of the China Global Security Tracker. In the latest MERICS Expert podcast she argues that the overall intention of this white paper is to signal to the outside world that China and its armed forces are responsible, engaged members of the international community.
2019-08-0624 min
MERICS China PodcastChinas digitaler Aufstieg: Herausforderungen für Europa2. August 2019Chinas digitale Offensive im In- und Ausland ist eine Herausforderung für Europa. Schon bald könnte das Land zum Weltmarktführer in digitalen Schlüsseltechnologien werden. Chinesische Firmen treiben zunehmend die Entwicklung von Anwendungen neuer Technologien wie der Blockchain, des Internets der Dinge oder des Mobilfunkstandards 5G und prägen zunehmend internationale Standards. Chinas digitale Offensive dient auch einem politischen Ziel: China soll eine globale Wissenschafts- und Technologiemacht werden.Wie soll Europa mit dieser Herausforderung umgehen? Welche Folgen hat Chinas digitaler Aufstieg für die europäische Politik, Wirtschaft und Sicherheit?Mit diesem spannenden Thema hat sich kürzlic...
2019-08-0249 min
MERICS China PodcastTom Bayes on Chinese presence in the African tech sectorJuly 9, 2019China’s engagement in Africa is often reduced to infrastructure and resources. But China is also massively increasing its presence in the African tech sector. Chinese state-owned enterprises and private companies are providing telecommunication lines and consumer electronics, but also surveillance technologies and digital solutions to enhance government control. “It is important that we have a nuanced understanding of what is going on both positive and negative dimensions,” argues China-Africa researcher and former MERICS Visiting Academic Fellow Tom Bayes in the latest episode of the MERICS Experts podcast.
2019-07-0927 min
MERICS China PodcastMade in China 2025: Wie weit ist China auf dem Weg zu globaler Technologieführerschaft?4. Juli 2019Anlässlich der Präsentation der neuen MERICS-Studie zu Chinas Made in China 2025 Strategie diskutierte Autor Max J. Zenglein mit Markus Heß, Leiter Unterabteilung Industrie und Mobilität der Zukunft im BMWi, Dr. Thomas Hueck, Chef-Volkswirt der Robert Bosch GmbH, Oliver Wack, Area Manager East Asia, VDMA Foreign Trade und Jörg Wuttke, Präsident der Europäischen Handelskammer in China, über die Bedeutung der chinesischen Innovationsoffensive für Deutschland und Europa. Kerstin Lohse-Friedrich, Leiterin Kommunikation am MERICS, moderierte die Veranstaltung.Zentrale Fragen der Diskussion waren: Was hat die Made in China 2025-Strategie seit 2015 am Umgang mit China verändert...
2019-07-041h 00
MERICS China PodcastThirty years after Tiananmen: Panel DiscussionOn June 3rd, MERICS and the Federal Agency of Civic Education (bpb) jointly organized a panel discussion on the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests. Leading experts from Germany and the US discussed the legacy of June 4th and its consequences for China’s domestic development and civic engagement. The debate was moderated by Kristin Shi-Kupfer, Director of the Research Area on Public Policy and Society at MERICS.Perry Link, Emeritus professor for East Asian Studies at Princeton University co-editor of “The Tiananmen Papers,” lived in Beijing at the time of the protests. For Link, the crackdown on protes...
2019-06-1457 min
MERICS China PodcastFrank Pieke on risks and benefits of research cooperation with ChinaApril 16, 2019China’s advances in research and development range from its ambitious space program to controversial experiments with gene editing. Yet scientific cooperating with China can also offer benefits and opportunities for Europe and its scientists. But how to spot the risks and where to draw red lines? Merics director Frank Pieke, co-author of a recent study on Europe-China cooperation in higher education and research, says Europe has been somewhat naïve in dealing with China’s strategic approach to research and development. Europe, he argues, urgently needs to develop its own research strategy to better defends its own inter...
2019-04-1628 min
MERICS China PodcastKristin Shi-Kupfer: “China sees digitalization as a chance to increase its global footprint”April 8, 2019China spends a lot to develop digital technologies. For Beijing, digitization is as a unique opportunity to upgrade its industries, increase social control, and become a global leader in digital technologies, says MERICS researcher Kristin-Shi-Kupfer. In a new study that she co-authored with MERICS research associate Mareike Ohlberg, she argues that China’s digital ambitions are mainly state-driven and rely on close cooperation between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the state, and private companies. China’s digital ambitions present a huge challenge to Europe, Shi-Kupfer says, but there also opportunities for cooperation. Listen to Kristin-Shi-Kuper, director of the MERI...
2019-04-0815 min
MERICS China PodcastStefan Mair(BDI) & Volker Treier (DIHK) über den Umgang der deutschen Wirtschaft mit China27. März 2019Die Veröffentlichung des BDI-Grundsatzpapiers zum künftigen Umgang der deutschen Wirtschaft mit China hat seit Januar für heftige Kontroversen gesorgt. Dem DIHK gingen die Forderung nach einem härteren Kurs gegenüber China teilweise zu weit, andere hätten sich noch klarere Worte gewünscht. Bei einem gemeinsamem Lunch-Talk von MERICS und Global Bridges am 28. Februar 2019 diskutierte der stellvertretende Direktor von MERICS Mikko Huotari mit Stefan Mair, Mitglied der Hauptgeschäftsführung des BDI, und dem Außenwirtschaftschef des DIHK Volker Treier über den Umgang der deutschen Wirtschaft mit China. Hören Sie einen gekürzten und bear...
2019-03-2736 min
MERICS China PodcastKai Strittmatter: "Die chinesische Diktatur verpasst sich ein digitales Update"22. März 2019China baut derzeit systematisch einen digitalen Überwachungsstaat auf und verpasst der Einparteien-Diktatur damit ein digitales Update, sagt der langjährige China-Korrespondent und Buchautor Kai Strittmatter. Die KPC China nutze dabei das tiefverwurzelte Misstrauen in der Gesellschaft für ihre Herrschaftszwecke. Warum Strittmatter trotzdem gern in China gearbeitet hat und das chinesische Essen vermissen wird – er lebt jetzt in Kopenhagen – das erläuterte er am 25. Februar 2019 vor rund 150 Gästen in der Merics China Lounge im Gespräch mit MERICS-Kommunikationschefin Kerstin Lohse und Mareike Ohlberg, wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin am MERICS. Hören Sie einen gekürzten Mitschnitt der Veranstaltung im neuen MERI...
2019-03-221h 05
MERICS China PodcastLucrezia Poggetti: Rome’s support for BRI would legitimize China’s geopolitical ambitionsMarch 19, 2019Chinese President Xi Jinping heads to Europe this week, with his state visit to Italy (March 21 to 24) attracting a lot of attention. That’s because the Italian coalition government is expected to endorse the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China’s ambitious global trade and infrastructure program. Rome’s move comes at a time when elsewhere in the EU concerns about BRI are growing and Europe tries to forge a coordinated China policy, says Lucrezia Poggetti, research associate at MERICS. In the latest MERICS Experts Podcast, she argues that Rome’s support for BRI would legitimize China’s geopolitic...
2019-03-1910 min
MERICS China PodcastMikko Huotari And Agatha Kratz: EU moves to closer scrutiny of Chinese FDIChinese direct investment in Europe has continued to decline in 2018, according to a new report by MERICS and Rhodium Group. The slowdown in FDI comes amid heated debates in Europe about Chinese influence and growing awareness that some investments from China - for instance in high tech sectors or infrastructure - might need closer scrutiny. Agatha Kratz, Associate Director at Rhodium Group in Paris, and MERICS deputy director Mikko Huotari discuss the latest Chinese FDI figures and recent policy changes in Europe that could eventually lead to a broader overhaul of Europe’s policy toward trade and investment with Ch...
2019-03-0624 min
MERICS China PodcastKristin Shi-Kupfer über 40 Jahre Reform- und Öffnung: China ist Rivale und Partner zugleich13. Dezember 2018Chinas Transformation vom verarmten Bauernstaat zur zweitgrößten Volkswirtschaft der Welt hat viele Grundannahmen auf den Kopf gestellt: Ein rigides Einparteiensystem und eine dynamische Wirtschaftsentwicklung stehen nicht zwangsläufig im Widerspruch; wirtschaftlicher Aufstieg und mehr Wohlstand führen nicht automatisch zu einer politischen Öffnung. Die KP China ist anpassungsfähiger als viele erwartet haben, sagt Kristin Shi-Kupfer, Leiterin des Forschungsbereichs Politik, Gesellschaft und Medien beim MERICS, in ihrer Bilanz zu 40 Jahre Reform- und Öffnungspolitik. Die wirtschaftliche Öffnung hat die KPC geschickt genutzt und ist mittlerweile nicht nur Partner, sondern auch Rivale des Westens. Doch unter Xi Jinping droht sich das...
2018-12-1317 min
MERICS China PodcastJane Duckett: "Rural areas still struggle to provide basic health care"November 22, 2018In the past 15 years, China has made considerable progress in setting up a comprehensive health care system. Today, over 92 percent of Chinese have basic health insurance. But huge challenges remain notably in rural areas. While people in urban centers often have access to modern facilities and well-trained doctors, rural residents still struggle to get basic care such as vaccines, says Jane Duckett, a health care specialist from the University of Glasgow and co-editor of a new MERICS report on social development in China. One of the big issues is “training the right kind of health care workers to de...
2018-11-2223 min
MERICS China PodcastStephan Scheuer und Andre Loesekrug-Pietri über „Silicon China“6. November 2018Ob digitale Bezahlsystem oder Künstliche Intelligenz – China drückt bei der Digitalisierung mächtig aufs Tempo. Aufstrebende IT-Firmen aus China drängen längst auf den Weltmarkt und setzen europäische High-Tech-Unternehmen zunehmend unter Druck. Warum ist „Silicon China“ so erfolgreich? Droht Europa bei der digitalen Revolution den Anschluss zu verpassen? Darüber diskutierte Claudia Wessling, Leiterin Publikationen beim MERICS, am 31. Oktober mit dem langjährigen China-Korrespondenten des Handelsblatts Stephan Scheuer und mit André Loesekrug-Pietri, Sprecher einer deutsch-französischen Innovationsinitiative. Eine gekürzte Fassung der „China Lounge“ jetzt als MERICS Experts Podcast.
2018-11-0651 min
MERICS China PodcastMatthias Stepan: Absolute Armut sinkt, soziale Ungleichheit bleibt18. Oktober 2018Offiziell ist die Zahl der Armen in China in den letzten fünf Jahren um 68 Millionen gesunken. Bei der Bekämpfung der absoluten Armut hat die Volksrepublik also gewaltige Fortschritte gemacht. Sie setzt dabei auf Infrastrukturmaßnahmen, auf das Engagement von Betrieben und auf den Einsatz von IT. Aber, sagt Matthias Stepan, Leiter des Programms Innenpolitik beim MERICS, die soziale Ungleichheit ist trotz der statistischen Erfolge nicht geringer geworden. Offen ist auch, ob die Armutsbekämpfung Bestand haben wird. Denn trotz des Ausbaus der Sozialsysteme kann beispielsweise eine schwere Krankheit eine Familie auch heute noch zurück in die A...
2018-10-1819 min
MERICS China PodcastThomas Eder über Chancen und Risiken der neuen Seidenstraße26. September 2018Die neue Seidenstraße, auch als Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) bekannt, wird von manchen als das größte Infrastrukturprogramm seit dem Marshallplan bezeichnet. Vor fünf Jahren wurde sie im September 2013 von Staats- und Parteichef Xi Jinping in Kasachstan angekündigt. Was steckt hinter dem Vorhaben und wie hat es sich entwickelt? Was für Projekte wurden umgesetzt? Und wer profitiert davon? Diesen und weiteren Fragen stellt sich Thomas Eder, wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter am MERICS und Experte für Geopolitik in Europa und Asien. Er verantwortet bei MERICS den Belt and Road Tracker, der auf der Grundlage umfangreicher Datensa...
2018-09-2624 min
MERICS China PodcastFrank N. Pieke: “Xi Jinping will find it harder than expected to secure a third term"September 10, 2018For years, many China observers believed that the Chinese Communist Party would eventually crumble under the contradictions between a Leninist political system and a dynamic society. “But we were all proved wrong”, says Frank N. Pieke, the new head of MERICS. The Chinese Communist Party is more modern, more powerful and confident than ever, he says. Yet, Xi Jinping, who likes to present himself as an all-powerful state and party leader, faces headwinds from within the apparatus and might find it more difficult than expected to secure a third term. People in Europe, Pieke says, need to face up t...
2018-09-1022 min
MERICS China PodcastDidi Kirsten Tatlow: Give Chinese children more time to play and have funJune 5, 2018Chinese schools are notorious for their rote learning and endless tests and exams. But the Chinese government wants to change that – at least, the authorities want to introduce more creativity into the classrooms. That’s no easy undertaking, says MERICS Visiting Academic Fellow Didi Kirsten Tatlow, who for many years reported from China for the New York Times. China’s notion of creativity differs from that in the West. Creativity is mainly seen as an instrument for innovation. But for children to become truly creative adults, Tatlow argues, they need time to play and the freedom to think their...
2018-06-0516 min
MERICS China PodcastJohnny Erling: „Zurzeit ist alles auf Kontrolle ausgerichtet“29. Mai 2018Als Johnny Erling 1975 erstmals nach China ging, regierte Mao Zedong noch das Land. Über vier Jahrzehnte später ist Erling immer noch in China und berichtet für „Die Welt“ und den österreichischen „Standard“. In der MERICS China Lounge am 3. Mai berichtete Erling im Gespräch mit Claudia Wessling, Leiterin der Kommunikation am MERICS, wie er Anfang der 80er Jahre am Pekinger Marx-Engels-Institut Tatort-Filme zeigte, warum man auf Bauernmärkten die besten Gesprächspartner findet, warum die staatliche Kontrolle heute oft strenger ist als früher und warum Pekinger Parkplatzwächter trotz Digitalisierung immer noch mit Block und Bleistift unterwe...
2018-05-2941 min
MERICS China PodcastJessica Batke: Small NGOs particularly vulnerable under new NGO lawMay 11, 2018When China’s law on non-governmental organizations went into effect in early 2017, observers worried that many international NGOs would pull out as a result. Almost 18 months on, the picture is mixed as Jessica Batke of ChinaFile has found out. As part of ChinaFile’s NGO Project, she tracks the experiences with the new law and says some 350 groups have managed to register with the authorities. None is known to have pulled out so far. Yet, this could change in 2018. Small NGOs find it particularly difficult to comply with the new regulations, and some groups face more difficulties then othe...
2018-05-1121 min
MERICS China PodcastMareike Ohlberg: „Was marxistisch ist, bestimmt die Partei“30. April 2018Karl Marx wäre am 5. Mai 200 Jahre alt geworden und wohl nirgendwo auf der Welt wird der Philosoph zu diesem Ehrentag so gefeiert wie in China. Sondersitzungen des Zentralkomitees, Ausstellungen, Vorträge, Sondersendungen – die Kommunistische Partei gibt sich größte Mühe Marx wieder cool zu machen. Aber was ist im Land mit den meisten Dollar-Milliardären der Welt eigentlich noch marxistisch? Und warum schenkt China der Mosel-Stadt Trier, der Geburtsstadt von Marx, eine tonnenschwere, riesige Marx-Statue? Antworten im neuen Merics Experts Podcast mit Mareike Ohlberg, wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin am MERICS. Sie sagt: „Was marxistisch ist, bestimmt die Partei.“
2018-04-3011 min
MERICS China PodcastChina Dispute: Pekings wachsender Einfluss in Europa29. März 2018Erkauft sich China mit Milliardeninvestitionen in Europa auch politischen Einfluss? Und wie kann die EU darauf reagieren? Das waren die zentralen Fragen einer Podiumsdiskussion des MERICS und des Global Public Policy Instituts (GPPi) am 13. März im Projektzentrum Berlin der Stiftung Mercator. Jan Weidenfeld (MERICS) und Thorsten Benner (GPPi), Mitautoren einer gemeinsamen Studie zum Thema, gaben Impulse. Janka Oertel vom German Marshall Fund, der Leiter des Planungsstabs im Auswärtigen Amt Ralf Beste und die langjährige China-Korrespondentin Didi Kirsten Tatlow diskutierten Strategien für den Umgang mit China. Moderiert wurde das Gespräch von Claudia Wessling, Leiter...
2018-03-2945 min
MERICS China PodcastHelena Legarda: China’s PLA looks set to step up global activitiesMarch 8. 2018China wants to develop a “world class” military force that can “fight and win wars” by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic. So it comes as little surprise that the defense budget just got another boost. Military spending will rise by 8.1 percent this year. What’s behind this figure and China’s military modernization drive? Why is the PLA projecting power well beyond Chinese borders? And why are we going to see a lot more PLA activities on the global stage in the future? MERICS research associate Helena Legarda discusses the 2018 military budget and China’s st...
2018-03-0812 min
MERICS China PodcastChina Dispute: China – Die neue Supermacht?29. Januar 2018Längst ist die Volksrepublik China für die USA und Westeuropa zu einem ernsthaften wirtschaftlichen Konkurrenten geworden. Auch politisch geht China unter Präsident Xi Jinping mehr und mehr in die Offensive und gewinnt im Nahen Osten, in Afrika und Asien deutlich an Einfluss. Wie geht China mit seiner wachsenden Stärke um? Muss der Westen den Konkurrenten aus Asien fürchten, oder ergeben sich neue Perspektiven für die Zusammenarbeit? Diese Fragen diskutierte Dietmar Ringel vom rbb Inforadio am 25. Januar bei einem gemeinsamen Forum mit MERICS vor rund 130 Gästen mit Petra Sigmund, Beauftrage für Ost und...
2018-01-2956 min
MERICS China PodcastIan Johnson über Religion und Werte in China4. Januar 2018Religionsgemeinschaften erleben in China einen wahren Boom. Viele Menschen suchten Halt und Orientierung, argumentiert der Journalist und Pulitzer-Preisträger Ian Johnson in seinem neuen Buch „The Souls of China“. Jahrelang hat er dafür recherchiert und viel Zeit bei Christen, Buddhisten und Anhängern daoistischer Volksreligionen verbracht. Warum Religion ein Schlüssel zum Verständnis Chinas ist und warum unter Staatschef Xi Jinping einige Glaubensgemeinschaften stärker kontrolliert, andere aber staatlich gefördert werden, darüber hat Johnson am 14. Dezember bei der MERICS China Lounge gesprochen – und Moderatorin Claudia Wessling verraten, warum er selbst lieber Kampfsport betreibt statt zu meditieren...
2018-01-0443 min
MERICS China PodcastDavid Shambaugh & Willy Lam on the 19th Party Congress and China under Xi JinpingOctober 19, 2017The 19th Party Congress is a “Xi Jinping Show” and China’s political system, under Xi’s rule, has lost much of its flexibility. That’s the rather blunt assessment of David Shambaugh of George Washington University in Washington D.C. Shortly before the start of the 19th Party Congress, Shambaugh visited Berlin and discussed China under Xi Jinping with Willy Lam of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, who was equally sober in his assessment of the state of the People’s Republic. The exchange between the two renowned China experts on September 28 was jointly organized by the Robert B...
2017-10-1953 min
MERICS China PodcastSebastian Heilmann zum 19. Parteitag der KPC: „China sieht sich auf der Gewinnerstraße“16. Oktober 2017Chinas Staats- und Parteichef Xi Jinping hat die Kommunistische Partei fest im Griff. Auf dem 19. Parteitag der KPC wird er sich als der starke Mann Chinas feiern und für eine zweite Amtszeit bestätigen lassen. Schon in den ersten fünf Jahren an der Spitze der KPC hat Xi die Macht zentralisiert und dafür gesorgt, dass das Ein-Parteien-System stabilisiert wurde. Aktiv nutzt die KPC dabei unter seiner Führung neue Technologien, Big Data und die digitale Transformation. China versuche damit, einen „perfekten Überwachungsstaat“ aufzubauen, der den Gesellschaften westlicher Prägung überlegen ist, sagt Merics-Direktor Sebastian Heilmann. Auch interna...
2017-10-1620 min
MERICS China PodcastCarsten Cramer über den BVB in China und chinesische Fußballträume26. September 2017China hat große Fußballträume und steckt viel Geld und Energie in die Entwicklung des Sports. Dabei hilft, dass auch Bundesligavereine China längst als Markt entdeckt haben. Top-Clubs wie Bayern München und der BVB Dortmund spielen regelmäßig im Reich der Mitte und haben dort eigene Büros eröffnet. Was bringt die deutsch-chinesische Zusammenarbeit? Warum geht etwa der BVB eine Partnerschaft mit einem chinesischen Club ein? Darüber hat Kristin Shi-Kupfer vom MERICS am 5. September bei der MERICS China Lounge mit Carsten Cramer, Marketing-Direktor des BVB gesprochen. Eine gekürzte Fassung der Veranstaltung hören Sie i...
2017-09-2635 min
MERICS China PodcastShazeda Ahmed on China’s Social Credit SystemSeptember 15, 2017In setting up the so called Social Credit System, China plans to monitor, rate and regulate the behavior of citizens and companies with the help of big data, rewarding those who obey the rules and punishing those who cheat or don’t conform. “Social Credit is seen as a means of making people, companies, entire industrial sectors and the government more honest by monitoring behaviors,” says Shazeda Ahmed, a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Berkeley, and former Visiting Academic Fellow at MERICS. The digital mechanism the system is based on will collect data on every single...
2017-09-1516 min
MERICS China PodcastKarsten Sach: „Climate policy needs to be at the heart of economic and fiscal policies“July 14, 2017The announcement by US President Trump to withdraw from the Paris Agreement is a setback for international climate policy but “it will not derail the process,” says Karsten Sach, Germany’s top climate negotiator. At a conference in Berlin, jointly organized by MERICS, the European Climate Foundation and the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) he called on the international community to place climate policy “at the heart of economic, development and fiscal policies” to reach the Paris target of limiting global warming to 2C. He talked to Björn Conrad, MERICS Vice President Research, a...
2017-07-1415 min
MERICS China PodcastBarbara Finamore on US climate policy: „Trump’s power isn’t as strong as you may think“July 10, 2017Despite US President Trump’s planned withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, many American citizens, city mayors and companies still want to move ahead with transitioning to a low carbon economy. „Trump’s power isn’t as strong as you may think,“ said Barbara Finamore, Asia Director of the American environmental organization Natural Resources Defense Council (NDRC) recently in Berlin. Still, Trump’s announcement has damaged America’s international standing, she said and called on China and Germany to now take leading roles in the fight against global warming. Finamore was talking to MERICS Communications Director Claudia Wessling at a conference j...
2017-07-1019 min
MERICS China PodcastMirjam Meissner über Chinas gesellschaftliches Bonitätssystem (Merics Experts, Folge 34)24. Mai 2017China arbeitet mit Hochdruck am Aufbau eines umfassenden gesellschaftlichen Bonitätssystems. Damit soll das Verhalten von Unternehmen wie auch von Einzelpersonen erfasst und gesteuert werden. Für dieses „Social Credit System“ sammeln IT-Unternehmen und Behörden umfangreiche Daten über Bürger und Firmen und erstellen mithilfe von Algorithmen Bewertungen, die Einfluss auf das ganz alltägliche Leben haben können. Noch ist das System im Aufbau, aber für jeden einzelnen wie auch für in China tätige Unternehmen wird es weitreichende Folgen haben. Mirjam Meissner, Leiterin des Forschungsbereichs Wirtschaft und Technologie am MERICS, spricht in diesem Podcast über B...
2017-05-2415 min
MERICS China PodcastChina Dispute: Nationalism and the ideological battle for China’s future (EN)February 28, 2017China’s official media like to criticize “hostile foreign forces” and “Western values” that purportedly undermine the country. Western institutions are equally singled out for their “inefficiency” in dealing with problems and crises. But do these arguments resonate with the Chinese public? Is there rising anti-Western nationalism in China? Those questions were tackled by three eminent China experts, Susan Shirk, Orville Schell and David Bandurski, on February 22nd at the MERICS “China Dispute” in Berlin. Nationalism was a handy tool for the Chinese government to rally support, they said, but liberal voices had not disappeared – despite stringent controls and strict censorshi...
2017-02-2739 min
Discussions and Analyses on ChinaKevin Rudd on China’s nascent strategy for a new global order (Merics Experts, Episode 27)12 October 2016, with Kevin Rudd
What does China really want with its foreign policy? Is there a grand strategy for Xi Jinping’s new multilateralism? And is China’s „One Belt, One Road“ initiative maybe less about geopolitics and more of an encounter with the complex realities in some of the most unstable countries in the world? Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd has met Xi Jinping several times and last week shared his observations with MERICS. The experienced diplomat, politician and fluent Mandarin speaker gave a lecture at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and talked to MERICS Director Sebastian Heilmann. Listen t...
2016-10-1246 min
MERICS China PodcastKevin Rudd: China’s nascent strategy for a new global order (EN)12 October 2016, with Kevin RuddWhat does China really want with its foreign policy? Is there a grand strategy for Xi Jinping’s new multilateralism? And is China’s „One Belt, One Road“ initiative maybe less about geopolitics and more of an encounter with the complex realities in some of the most unstable countries in the world? Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd has met Xi Jinping several times and last week shared his observations with MERICS. The experienced diplomat, politician and fluent Mandarin speaker gave a lecture at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and talked to MERICS Director Sebastian Heilmann. Listen t...
2016-10-1246 min
Discussions and Analyses on ChinaZhang Jieping: There’s a huge appetite for independent journalism (Merics Experts, Episode 26)5 October 2016, with Zhang Jieping
These are tough times for independent media in China: Censorship and controls have increased considerably in recent years. The pressure is also felt in Hongkong despite the territory’s greater freedoms. Still, several media start-ups have sprung up in Hongkong recently. One of the biggest is the online platform “Initium”. Within a year it has attracted more than two million regular readers although the site quickly got blocked on the mainland. Chief Editor Zhang Jieping says there’s a huge appetite for independent journalism. In the new Merics Experts podcast she talks about how to survive in a cha...
2016-10-0512 min
MERICS China PodcastMikko Huotari: G20 in China - Eine Frage der Glaubwürdigkeit (GER)2. September 2016, mit Mikko HuotariBeim G20-Gipfel in Hangzhou soll globales Wachstum gefördert werden. Gastgeber China setzt dabei auf globale Infrastrukturinvestitionen. Auch aus Eigeninteresse, sagt Mikko Huotari, Leiter des Programmbereichs Internationale Beziehungen bei Merics. Die G20, so Pekings Hoffnung, könnten der chinesischen Seidenstraßen-Initiative den Ritterschlag geben. Aber auch Chinas Reform-Agenda rückt in den Fokus: „Glaubwürdigkeit als G20-Führungskraft kann Peking nur erlangen, wenn es glaubwürdig an den Reformen zuhause weiterarbeitet.“ Mikko Huotari im Merics Experts Podcast.
2016-09-0211 min
Discussions and Analyses on ChinaRichard McGregor on China's authoritarian future (Merics Experts, Episode 24)4 August 2016, with Richard McGregor
For all its problems, China is an incredibly successful country and still has a lot of growth potential, says Richard McGregor, visiting fellow at George Washington University. All gloomy scenarios about economic or political collapse have proved wrong so far. So, what if Xi Jinping succeeds in restructuring the economy and strengthening the Communist Party? China would emerge as a much more powerful country, says McGregor. However, there’s nothing in the party’s DNA that suggests China would be more accommodating internationally or more liberal domestically. That’s Richard McGregor in the latest Merics Experts podcas
2016-08-0414 min
Discussions and Analyses on ChinaYou Ji: China aims to project military strength well beyond its borders (Merics Experts Episode 23)26 July 2016, with You Ji
Xi Jinping has used military reforms to strengthen his command over the People’s Liberation Army. And he’s using personal connections, some dating back to his childhood years, to fill central positions within the military, says professor You Ji of Macau University. On strategy, Xi is moving away from his predecessors’ approach. China is now preparing to project power well beyond its borders, catch up with the U.S. and achieve “Great Power Status” built upon military strength. That’s You Ji in the latest Merics Experts podcast.
2016-07-2613 min
Discussions and Analyses on ChinaVictor Shih talks about Xi Jinping and the power question (Merics Experts Episode 22)22 July 2016, with Victor Shih
For years China was led by consensus – factions in the upper echelons of power were carefully calibrated to keep a balance. But with Xi Jinping all that has changed, says Victor Shih of the University of California, San Diego. Since Xi’s faction within the Central Committee is still rather small, he established a number of new leading small groups to strengthen his influence on policy making. At the 19th party congress next year Xi could now try to shrink the size of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee to obtain absolute power within the CCP. That’s Vict...
2016-07-2213 min