Explore every episode of the podcast MERICS China Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
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| Exploring strategic new frontiers, with Helena Legarda | 20 Oct 2025 | 00:28:16 | |
China has designated cyberspace, outer space, the polar regions and the deep sea as “strategic new frontiers”. It sees competition with the US and Europe extending into these areas as well. Helena Legarda, Head of the Foreign Relations Program at MERICS, joins Johannes Heller-John to talk about what interests China has in these areas and how Europe can catch up ground it has lost over time. Helena is the author of a new MERICS Report titled "The Arctic, outer space and influence-building: China and Russia join forces to expand in new strategic frontiers". Read the report here. ---- This podcast is part of the project “Dealing with a Resurgent China” (DWARC) which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101061700. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. | |||
| CCP priorities and the Fourth Plenum, with Alexander Davey | 18 Oct 2025 | 00:24:34 | |
Ahead 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 the Fourth Plenum and 15th Five-Year Plan or read our latest MERICS China Essentials for more coverage. | |||
| The local reassertion of the Communist Party, with Katja Drinhausen and Nis Grünberg | 14 Oct 2025 | 00:28:41 | |
Governing the people and keeping society “harmonious”, stable and united is seen by the CCP leadership as a core task. The party is now systematically inserting itself into all layers and spheres of society. Johannes Heller-John talks to MERICS Experts Katja Drinhausen, Head of the Politics and Society Program, and Nis Grünberg, Lead Analyst. Together with Alexander Davey they are the authors of the report “Serving the people by controlling them: How the party is reinserting itself into daily life”. From their observations, the CCP is merging public service and control at the very local level. In their view “this is something that Xi Jinping really has put a lot of effort and resources into it since he came to power: to put the party as an organizing and structuring factor into social organization.” ---- This podcast is part of the project “Dealing with a Resurgent China” (DWARC) which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101061700. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. | |||
| China in 25: USA und China bei der UN + TikTok + EUCCC-Positionspapier | 03 Oct 2025 | 00:27:13 | |
„China in 25“ – in rund 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China. In dieser Folge geht es darum, wie China seine Position als globaler Akteur bei der UN-Generalversammlung in New York stärkte, wie Washington und China versuchen, einen Deal für TikTok aufzusetzen und wie europäische Firmen ihr Geschäft in China in einem neuen Positionspapier der EUCCC beurteilen. „Vor zehn Jahren hat Beijing mit seiner ‚Made in China 2025‘ Strategie einen industriellen Führungsanspruch formuliert, vor acht Jahren wurde angekündigt, dass man auch zukünftig in internationalen Institutionen eine globale Führungsrolle spielen möchte, und heute kann man an beiden Stellen sagen: China erreicht Ziele.“ Mehr über die Themen in dieser Ausgabe erfahren Sie hier:
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| The Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a vehicle to promote narratives of China and Russia, with Claus Soong | 29 Aug 2025 | 00:21:16 | |
From August 31 until September 1, China’s party and state leader Xi Jinping will chair the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the Chinese port city Tianjin. Among the leaders expected at the summit is Russian president Vladimir Putin. In a new episode of our podcast, MERICS Analyst Claus Soong explores the role of the group in China-Russia relations. He argues that the SCO, which has significantly widened its mandate since it was founded in 2001 as a regional forum for security issues, has become a prototype for Beijing and Moscow to institutionalize their coordination on geopolitical affairs and promote their own narratives as an alternative to the Western-led global order. Recommended reading: | |||
| China’s rise in biotechnology, with Alexander Brown and Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau | 18 Aug 2025 | 00:32:55 | |
Biotechnology is strategically important because of its potential to transform humanity’s control over nature. Governments worldwide are racing to secure their positions in the field – and China is no exception. MERICS experts Alexander Brown and Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau join Johannes Heller-John to discuss the rise of China in biotechnology. They are the authors of the report “Lab leader, market ascender: China's rise in biotechnology”, published earlier this year. Research for the report is part of the MERICS China Tech Observatory (CTO), a project funded by the Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) under funding reference number 01DO24001. | |||
| China's rise to global tech leadership, with James Kynge | 01 Aug 2025 | 00:19:58 | |
In this episode, long-time Financial Times journalist and former MERICS Senior Fellow James Kynge joins Johannes Heller-John to look at China’s technological development in the last decades and ahead into the next ones. He talks about his work as a journalist in China since the mid-1980s and China’s rise as a technological power. James argues that “China is now leading the world as a technological power, having surpassed the US and left Europe far behind.” More about the topics covered in this episode here: | |||
| China aims for self-reliance in AI, with Wendy Chang and Antonia Hmaidi | 22 Jul 2025 | 00:30:07 | |
Artificial 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. Together with Rebecca Arcesati, Antonia and Wendy have authored our new report “China’s drive toward self-reliance in artificial intelligence: from chips to large language models”. Research for the report is part of the MERICS China Tech Observatory (CTO), a project funded by the Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) under funding reference number 01DO24001. More about the topics covered in this episode here:
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| „China in 25“: EU-China Beziehungen + BRICS-Gipfel + KI in China | 15 Jul 2025 | 00:25:59 | |
„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China. In dieser Folge geht es um die Beziehungen zwischen China und der EU im Licht der Europareise des chinesischen Außenministers Wang Yi und vor dem EU-China Gipfel in Beijing, um Xi Jinpings Abwesenheit auf dem BRICS-Gipfel und um Chinas wachsende Fähigkeiten in Künstlicher Intelligenz. Die Experten sehen in Chinas Austausch mit Europa „kein Angebot für eine Partnerschaft auf Augenhöhe, sondern eine geopolitische Aufforderung, sich den Realitäten anzupassen.“ Für Europa bedeutet das, dass es sich strategisch notwendig machen muss „und dafür braucht Mehr über die Themen in dieser Ausgabe erfahren Sie hier:
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| The 2025 EU-China summit, with Abigaël Vasselier | 07 Jul 2025 | 00:24:05 | |
The next EU-China Summit will take place in Beijing at the end of this month. In this episode of our podcast, Abigaël Vasselier, Director of Policy and European Affairs and Head of Program for Foreign Relations at MERICS, joins Claudia Wessling, Director Communications and Publications, to talk about her expectations for the summit, the state of EU-China relations and outcomes of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s recent visit to Europe. | |||
| China’s National Security White Paper, with Katja Drinhausen und Helena Legarda | 04 Jul 2025 | 00:32:08 | |
With 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 MERICS, join Johannes Heller-John to answer these questions. Read more about the topics covered in this episode here: | |||
| China in 25: China und der Nahost-Krieg + Grundlagenforschung + EU-China-Gipfel | 20 Jun 2025 | 00:24:25 | |
„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China. In dieser Folge geht es um die Eskalation zwischen dem Iran und Israel und wie Chinas Reaktionen darauf einzuschätzen sind, um die Forschungsinvestitionen des chinesischen Telekom Riesen Huawei sowie um die EU-chinesischen Beziehungen. Mehr über die Themen in dieser Ausgabe erfahren Sie hier: | |||
| The party and the private economy, with Kasper Ingeman Beck and Nis Grünberg | 13 Jun 2025 | 00:33:11 | |
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is widening its influence over private companies. Since Xi Jinping took office as party and state leader, the CCP has increased its control over the private economy by guiding capital, controlling shares and engaging in corporate governance. In this episode, Kasper Ingeman Beck, Postdoc at the Copenhagen Business School, and Nis Grünberg, Lead Analyst at MERICS, join Johannes Heller-John to discuss the role of the CCP in the private sector and what it means for decision makers in Europe. ---- This podcast is part of the project “Dealing with a Resurgent China” (DWARC) which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101061700. | |||
| Chinese FDI in Europe rebounds, with Armand Meyer and Andreas Mischer | 10 Jun 2025 | 00:25:56 | |
Chinese outbound foreign direct investment in the EU and UK rose for the first time in 2024 after seven consecutive years of decline. In this episode we look at what has changed, where the money is going, and what is happening in the particularly important sector of electric vehicles. Armand Meyer, Senior Research Analyst with Rhodium Group’s China Data Services team, and Andreas Mischer, Analyst with the Economics team at MERICS, are co-authors of a recent report on Chinese FDI in Europe, published by Rhodium Group and MERICS. They share its results with Johannes Heller-John. | |||
| What to expect from the UK’s China Audit, with Charles Parton | 28 May 2025 | 00:31:59 | |
The Labor government in the UK launched an audit of the country’s relations with China in 2024. The results are set to be released in June. In this episode of the MERICS China Podcast, Charles Parton joins Johannes Heller-John to talk about the UK’s China Audit and the importance of science and technology in the China context. Charles Parton is a member of the UK think tank Council on Geostrategy, the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies (RUSI), and a Senior Associate Fellow at MERICS. Read more about the topics covered in this episode here:
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| „China in 25“: KI-Chips, nationale Sicherheit und Chinas Investitionen in Europa | 23 May 2025 | 00:23:01 | |
„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China. In dieser Folge geht es um eine neue Eskalation zwischen den USA und China im Bereich Hochleistungschips und Künstliche Intelligenz, um Chinas Sicherheits- und Rüstungspolitik sowie um Chinas erstmals seit Jahren wieder gestiegene Investitionen in Europa. Die Diskussion dreht sich um eine zentrale Beobachtung: Ob Technologie-, Sicherheits- oder Investitionspolitik, die strategischen Grundlagen für aktuelle Entwicklungen wurden von Beijing mit langem Atem vor mehr als einem Jahrzehnt angelegt, in Initiativen wie „Made in China 2025“ oder der „Neuen Seidenstraße“, in Xi Jinpings kontinuierlicher Ausweitung des Sicherheitsbegriffs sowie gezielten Investitionen in Chinas militärische Fähigkeiten. Mehr über die Themen in dieser Ausgabe erfahren Sie hier:
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| „China in 25“: Einigung im Zollstreit und Xi in Moskau | 13 May 2025 | 00:21:56 | |
„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China. In dieser Folge geht es um die überraschende Einigung im Zollstreit zwischen den USA und China in Genf, die eine Senkung der gegenseitigen Zölle für 90 Tage vorsieht. Außerdem beleuchten wir die enge Beziehung zwischen China und Russland, die während der Feierlichkeiten zum Ende des zweiten Weltkriegs in Moskau medienwirksam zelebriert wurde. Mehr über die Themen in dieser Ausgabe erfahren Sie hier: | |||
| US-China policy under Trump 2.0, with Thomas E. Kellogg | 09 May 2025 | 00:29:59 | |
After weeks of fierce confrontations, the US and China are making first steps to negotiate in the ongoing tariff row. Ahead of a meeting of representatives of both sides in Geneva, MERICS Director Communications and Publications Claudia Wessling talked with Thomas E. Kellogg, Executive Director of the Georgetown Center for Asian Law. In the new episode of our podcast, Thomas shares his expectations regarding the future of US-China relations and the role European actors could take in shapting the future US China policy, even under the current challenging circumstances. The expert for China’s legal system also shares insights talks about the current situation in Hong Kong and the increasingly rigid imposition of the National Security Law. Recommended reading: | |||
| China’s overcapacities, with Max J. Zenglein and Jacob Gunter | 02 May 2025 | 00:23:56 | |
High 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 for this podcast episode to share their findings. More information: | |||
| „China in 25": Xis Reisediplomatie, Chinas Wirtschaft im 1. Quartal und deutsche Unternehmen | 25 Apr 2025 | 00:26:17 | |
„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China. In dieser Folge geht es um die Reisediplomatie von Partei- und Staatschef Xi Jinping, der sich bei Besuchen in Südostasien darum bemüht hat, Unterstützer im Handelskrieg mit den USA zu gewinnen. Wir sprechen auch über die – überraschend positiven – Wachstumszahlen für das erste Quartal und aktuelle Herausforderungen für Chinas Wirtschaft und über die Erwartungen deutscher Unternehmen in China an die neue Bundesregierung. Mehr über die Themen in dieser Ausgabe erfahren Sie hier:
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| The China-US trade war and implications for the EU, with Jacob Gunter | 24 Apr 2025 | 00:35:40 | |
Global tariffs introduced by the US government under the second Trump administration on April 2nd have rocked global markets. While they have been reduced to a blanket rate of 10 percent a week later, they have increased for China to 145 percent. In retaliation, the Chinese government raised tariffs on all US goods to 125 percent. Johannes Heller-John talks to Jacob Gunter, Lead Analyst at MERICS, about the aims of the US government, the impact on the Chinese economy and the way forward for Europe. More information: ---- This podcast is part of the project “Dealing with a Resurgent China” (DWARC) which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101061700. | |||
| "China in 25": Einschätzungen zum Handelskrieg und China im Koalitionsvertrag | 11 Apr 2025 | 00:23:52 | |
„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China im laufenden Jahr 2025. In dieser Folge geht es um den eskalierenden Handelskrieg zwischen den USA und China sowie um den Koalitionsvertrag zwischen CDU, CSU und SPD. Diese Folge wurde am 10. April um 15:30 Uhr aufgezeichnet. Zu dem Zeitpunkt war von US-Seite noch die Rede von 125 Prozent Zöllen auf chinesische Importe. Seitdem hat die Trump-Regierung jedoch Zölle in Höhe von 145 Prozent bestätigt, während China im Gegenzug Zölle auf US-Importe auf 125 Prozent erhöhte. Mehr zu den Themen dieser Folge lesen Sie hier:
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| How China sees Europe during Trump 2.0, with Grzegorz Stec | 21 Mar 2025 | 00:30:51 | |
The widening rift between the United States and Europe will have an effect on the EUs relationship with China. How does Beijing see the EU in the first months of the second Trump administration? Is there an appetite for closer engagement? And what does this mean for Europe? Johannes Heller-John talks to Grzegorz Stec, Head of our Brussels Office and Senior Analyst at MERICS to get a better understanding for China’s view of the EU during the second Trump administration. More information:
This podcast is part of the project “Dealing with a Resurgent China” (DWARC) which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101061700. | |||
| Die Bundestagswahl von China aus gesehen, mit Kristin Shi-Kupfer | 07 Mar 2025 | 00:21:58 | |
Die 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 Projekt von MERICS und dem China-Institut der Universität Trier (CIUT), gefördert von der Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung. Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier:
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| Kontrollierte Vielfalt – Chinas soziale Medien, mit Kristin Shi-Kupfer und Katja Drinhausen | 04 Mar 2025 | 00:29:24 | |
Einige 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 Associate Fellow bei MERICS, und Katja Drinhausen, Programmleiterin für den Bereich Innenpolitik und Gesellschaft bei MERICS, einen Einblick in Chinas digitale Landschaft. Im Gespräch mit Johannes Heller-John blicken sie auf aktuelle Diskussionen und die Bemühungen der Regierung, Online-Debatten zu steuern. Mehr über das Thema erfahren sie in der Studie „Chinas fragile Räume für Online-Debatten“, die Shi-Kupfer und Drinhausen gemeinsam mit MERICS Senior Analystin Christina Sadeler verfasst haben. Die Analyse ist Teil des von der Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung geförderten Projekts China Spektrum, an dem MERICS und das China-Institut der Universität Trier (CIUT) beteiligt sind. Weiterführende Literatur:
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| "China in 25": Zölle, USA, China in Wahlprogrammen | 19 Feb 2025 | 00:18:22 | |
„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: | |||
| DeepSeek and the upcoming AI Action Summit, with Rebecca Arcesati | 07 Feb 2025 | 00:36:57 | |
The Chinese startup DeepSeek has rattled Silicon Valley’s confidence in the United States’ lead in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. DeepSeek’s first free Chatbot App became the most downloaded app on the iOS App Store as well as on the Google Play Store by the end of January. These developments come ahead of the French AI Action Summit, which will take place from February 10 to 11 and convene Heads of State and Government, leaders of international organizations, tech companies, NGOs, as well as academics, and members of civil society. Johannes Heller-John talks to Rebecca Arcesati, Lead Analyst at MERICS based in Brussels, about the issues behind DeepSeek’s meteoric rise and expectations for the AI Action Summit. In her view, “France has an opportunity to show that there is a European way that is a middle way between a corporate driven approach that has emerged in the United States and a more state driven approach that has emerged in China.” Artificial Intelligence is one of the topics featured in the MERICS China Tech Observatory, a project sponsored by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). | |||
| EU-China relations in 2025, with Abigaël Vasselier | 24 Jan 2025 | 00:30:17 | |
Abigaël Vasselier, Director Policy & European Affairs at MERICS, just returned from a trip to Washington DC where she discussed transatlantic China policies with US counterparts. In this conversation with Claudia Wessling, MERICS Director of Communications & Publications, Abigael talks about the challenges that lie ahead for the EU in the coming months in managing its relations with China and the United States under President Donald Trump. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. | |||
| China’s economy in 2025, with Max Zenglein | 23 Jan 2025 | 00:14:14 | |
China’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. | |||
| China and the race for quantum leadership, with Antonia Hmaidi and Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau | 10 Jan 2025 | 00:26:47 | |
China 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. | |||
| Beijing's politics of history, with Daniel Leese | 20 Dec 2024 | 00:26:10 | |
Chinese history – while containing a wealth of cultural, scientific and social achievements – has always been deeply political: China’s emperors tasked scholars to rewrite the past and document the present to justify and glorify their rule. In today’s China, Xi Jinping has launched extraordinary efforts to “tell China’s story well”. In the final episode of 2024, Johannes Heller-John is joined by Daniel Leese, Professor of Sinology at the University of Freiburg, to talk about the politics of Chinese history. | |||
| China is dominating exports, but lacking in global integration, with François Chimits | 06 Dec 2024 | 00:37:04 | |
China’s dominance in industrial exports leads to an overestimation of its global role. This is the conclusion of a new report called: “China is the world’s factory – but less integrated into the global economy than the US and Japan”. Johannes Heller-John talks to the author, MERICS Senior Economist in the Brussels Office François Chimits, about the past and future of China’s global economic integration, the implications of global decoupling and its effects on Europe. In his view, “China’s economy remains more isolated than its manufacturing prowess suggests.” | |||
| Fighting local government debt, with Victor Shih and Max Zenglein | 29 Nov 2024 | 00:35:50 | |
After 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. | |||
| China and Trump's election victory, with Jude Blanchette and Katja Drinhausen | 22 Nov 2024 | 00:31:19 | |
What 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? | |||
| Europe’s resilience vis-à-vis China, with Grzegorz Stec and Helena Legarda | 15 Nov 2024 | 00:28:31 | |
Building resilience, i.e., the ability to manage risks without compromising long-term development, is at the heart of Europe’s adjustment of its China policy. To contribute to this process, we recently launched the MERICS Europe-China Resilience Audit, which is based on a database of 98 indicators for the economy, security, politics and society. The analysis confirms some significant differences between the eleven countries studied in terms of vulnerability and progress in measures to strengthen resilience towards China. Among the countries covered, Sweden and the Netherlands stand out for their resilience building. In this episode of our podcast, project leads Grzegorz Stec and Helena Legarda explain the methodology of the index and discuss key findings from their analysis with MERICS Director Communications and Publications Claudia Wessling. | |||
| China’s global port politics, with Clark Banach and Jacob Gunter | 07 Nov 2024 | 00:45:13 | |
Beijing’s global push to establish a global network of ports with Chinese involvement is slowing. Today’s guests Clark Banach, Program Director at the Alethia Research Institution and former MERICS Futures Fellow, and Jacob Gunter, Lead Analyst at MERICS, discuss the development and changes in China’s global infrastructure investments. In this conversation with Johannes Heller-John, they analyze the aims Beijing wants to achieve by these investments and the impact of Chinese port investments on the European and global market. | |||
| What's next in US export controls targeting China, with Kevin Wolf and Rebecca Arcesati | 18 Oct 2024 | 00:45:34 | |
The rivalry between the US and China about technological and military leadership has one key component: export controls. What is the cutting edge of the United States’ export controls? What do they entail and what role do Washington’s international partners play? Can and will they be effective? | |||
| China strebt nach Unabhängigkeit in kritischen Technologien, mit Antonia Hmaidi | 02 Oct 2024 | 00:25:47 | |
China ist zu einer bedeutenden Wissenschafts- und Technologiemacht geworden. Über Chinas Streben nach Unabhängigkeit in kritischen Technologien wie künstliche Intelligenz, Quanten- oder Bio-Technologie spricht Johannes Heller-John mit Antonia Hmaidi, Senior Analystin am MERICS. Sie leitet die Daten-Taskforce des Instituts und das vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung geförderte Projekt „China Tech Observatory“ (CTO). | |||
| The global sale of Chinese arms, with Helena Legarda and Jacob Gunter | 27 Sep 2024 | 00:37:45 | |
Over the last decade, China’s arms makers have gone beyond solely supplying the People’s Liberation Army and began to look for overseas markets to supplement sales and support Beijing’s geopolitical goals. Arms sales are an often-overlooked aspect of China’s global security and economic footprint and can present challenges to European policy makers and arms producers. To discuss this topic Johannes Heller-John is joined by Helena Legarda and Jacob Gunter, both Lead Analysts at MERICS. They are the authors of the recent edition of our China Global Competition Tracker looking at China’s arms industry. | |||
| Unsicherheit in Chinas Innen- und Außenpolitik, mit Shi Ming | 16 Aug 2024 | 00:23:08 | |
Das Jahr 2024 birgt viele Unsicherheiten für China: Die wirtschaftliche Lage im Land ist schwierig. Vielschichtige Konflikte auf regionaler und internationaler Ebene und die Ergebnisse der Wahlen in der EU und den USA werden sich auch auf China auswirken. Wie geht Beijing die Herausforderungen an? Podcast-Moderator Johannes Heller-John spricht mit dem deutsch-chinesischen Journalisten Shi Ming, einem Kenner von Chinas Innenpolitik. Der Publizist, der für führende Medien tätig ist, war im Sommer 2024 als Senior Fellow zu Gast bei MERICS. | |||
| The dangerous waters of the South China Sea, with Helena Legarda | 06 Aug 2024 | 00:25:56 | |
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius' trip to the Asia-Pacific region in recent days shows that the region is becoming increasingly important for Germany and Europe. The trip took place against the backdrop of growing tensions in the region, particularly in the South China Sea. Beijing’s claims in the waters are far reaching and cover nearly 90 percent of the area. This claim is mostly based on its use in history by Chinese fishermen – and not supported by international law. Other countries bordering the South China Sea, like Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam, also lay claim to parts of the same area. The waters of the South China Sea are vitally important for international trade and rich in natural resources – oil and gas fields are suspected to lie underground – and fishing grounds. Yet, the failure to find a mode of cooperation has precluded the extraction of resources and put in question the safety of the region for commercial shipping. In this episode, MERICS Lead Analyst Helena Legarda and podcast host Johannes Heller-John talk about recent developments in the region. This episode was recorded on July 17, 2024. For more on the topic, check out the recent edition of our MERICS China Security and Risk Tracker. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. | |||
| China's foreign policy, with Akio Takahara | 02 Aug 2024 | 00:31:54 | |
China’s foreign policy has grown more assertive and confident under the leadership of Xi Jinping. How has China’s foreign policy evolved and what does this mean for European interests? Johannes Heller-John talks to Akio Takahara about the rivalry between China and the United States, China’s relations with Russia, the meaning of the Global South in China’s foreign policy – and the worrying tensions in the South China Sea. Akio is a distinguished Visiting professor at the Tokyo Woman's Christian University and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo and a renowned specialist for current politics and diplomacy in China. He also sits on MERICS’ International Scientific Council and just recently visited our institute as a Senior Fellow. Recommended reading:
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| A lack of new ideas at the third plenum, with Alexander Davey | 22 Jul 2024 | 00:16:50 | |
The Chinese leadership has met in Beijing for the long awaited Third Plenum - a key meeting happening once in five years of the formally highest authority of the Chines Communist Party, the Central Committee. It was a chance to lay out policy decisions to address the many issues the country is facing, including sluggish growth, rising government debt and unemployment. | |||
| The Third Plenum and debates about China’s economic future, with Kristin Shi-Kupfer and Katja Drinhausen | 05 Jul 2024 | 00:30:52 | |
The long awaited third plenary session of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party will kick off on July 15. In the four-day meeting its 376 members will vote on programmatic decisions prepared by the Politbureau that will aim to solve the pressing economic and social issues the country currently faces. Johannes Heller-John talks with Kristin Shi-Kupfer and Katja Drinhausen about the Third Plenum as well as Chinese debates on the country’s current economic challenges and future pathways. Kristin Shi-Kupfer is a professor of Sinology at the University of Trier. Katja Drinhausen heads the politics & society program at MERICS. Together they lead the China Spektrum project, which analyzes relevant current debates and positions among Chinese intellectuals and experts, as well as public discussions unfolding on social media platforms and online. China Spektrum is a joint project of the China institute of the University of Trier (CIUT) and the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS). The project is made possible by a grant from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. | |||
| Taiwan and cross-Strait relations in a year of elections, with Bonnie Glaser and Abigaël Vasselier | 14 Jun 2024 | 00:35:05 | |
As the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is increasingly unstable, what can we expect from Taiwan’s new president Lai Ching-te when it comes to navigating relations with China? How will the results of the EU elections affect Europe’s policies vis-à-vis Taiwan? And how might a change of government in the United States impact the situation? These are some of the questions discussed by Bonnie Glaser, Managing Director of GMF's Indo-Pacific program, and MERICS’ Director Policy & European Affairs Abigaël Vasselier in this conversation with Claudia Wessling, Director of Communications and Publications at MERICS. | |||
| China steps up investments in Hungary, with Alexander Brown and Gregor Sebastian | 05 Jun 2024 | 00:30:03 | |
Chinese investment in Europe has hit a new low according to a new study by MERICS and Rhodium Group on China’s Foreign Direct Overseas Investment in the 27 EU member states and the UK. It is the lowest level of investment since 2010. In Hungary, however, investments drastically increased and made up just under half of all FDI in Europe in 2023. Where does Chinese investment in Europe stand, what sectors and countries do Chinese investors focus on and where do we go from here? Johannes Heller-John is joined by two authors of the study, Alexander Brown, Analyst with MERICS focusing on China’s industrial and foreign economic policy, and Gregor Sebastian, Senior Analyst with Rhodium Group's China Corporate Advisory team focusing on China’s industrial policy and EV industry. | |||
| China and the European Parliament election, with Ivana Karásková and Grzegorz Stec | 31 May 2024 | 00:34:21 | |
Ahead of the European Parliament election on June 6-9, 2024, this episode looks at the role of the European Parliament in EU-China relations and the possible impact of the election results on the European “de-risking” agenda among other topics. Johannes Heller-John talks to Ivana Karásková and Grzegorz Stec. Ivana is a European China Policy Fellow at MERICS and the founder of MapInfluenCE and China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe (CHOICE) at the Association for International Affairs (AMO) in Prague. Grzegorz is the Head of the MERICS Brussels Office. Recently, Ivana co-authored two reports, one on foreign electoral interference in the EU and one on the rise of fringe parties in the EP and their impact on EU-China relations. Grzegorz has published articles on how EP parties see China and on key lessons learned by Members of the EP during the last mandate. | |||
| Finding a European answer to the China-Russia partnership, with Alice Ekman and Helena Legarda | 09 May 2024 | 00:35:56 | |
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Beijing in May to meet with China’s leader Xi Jinping. This will be Putin's first foreign trip after his reinauguration on May 7. The meeting will be another chance for the two leaders to emphasize how important and close the “no limits” partnership of Russia and China is. In this episode of our podcast, we look at the implications of the Sino-Russian relationship for the European Union, in particular due the ongoing invasion of Ukraine and their opposition to and undermining of the existing global order. | |||
| Science and technology at the NPC, with Barry Naughton and Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:34:35 | |
In this year’s government work report at the National People's Congress, the issue of science and technology was mentioned more often than any other. Why does the Chinese government put so much focus on science and technology? What does this mean for other pressing issues that the Communist Party is facing? And what does it mean for Europe and the United States? | |||
| National People’s Congress 2024: The state implements the party’s decisions, with Nis Grünberg and Jacob Gunter | 12 Mar 2024 | 00:21:07 | |
The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, has held its yearly session in Beijing from the 5th to the 11th of March. This episode looks at what we have learned from this year's NPC and its repercussions for China and Europe. Johannes Heller-John is joined by MERICS Lead Analysts Nis Grünberg and Jacob Gunter. They argue that science and technology as well as security took precedence over socio-economic issues. | |||