Asia Debates

Anissa Aroun, Justine Collignon and Mila Issolah were awarded second prize of Prix Asia Centre for their essay:China’s Approach to the Law of the Sea – A Maritime Power Instrumentalizing International Norms

In this episode, Mila Issolah, Justine Collignon, and Méline Rousseau (Asia Centre),  dive into China’s evolving maritime strategy, its selective interpretation of international law, and the global implications of its actions in the South China Sea.

This work is part of a European Commission project China Horizons – Research Consortium which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement number 101061700.

In this episode, Jean-Baptiste Monnier (PhD), VP and CFO of Asia Centre, and Élodie Papin, general secretary of Asia Centre,  dive into the tangled web of data, technology, and power shaping the digital age. From the race for semiconductor dominance to the battle over global data flows, we explore how nations are redefining trust and control in cyberspace.

Through a close look at China’s journey—from the ambitions of Made in China 2025 to the rise of massive, hybridized technologies—we uncover how surveillance, censorship, and data privacy have become central to geopolitical competition. As the U.S. hits data bridges and global tensions mount, the question remains: can digital power exist without trust?

This work is part of a European Commission project China Horizons – Research Consortium which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement number 101061700.

This episode looks at the events and situations that have unfolded in Taiwan since the presidential election in January 2024 and the U.S. elections in November 2024 — focusing especially on the various domestic developments during the summer of 2025.

Jean-François Di Meglio, honorary Chairman of Asia Cente, interviews Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy about the current domestic situation and international position of Taiwan. Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy is Adjunct Assistant Professor at National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan, and currently visiting fellow at the Martens Centre in Brussels.

While our discussion relates mainly to Taiwan’s internal politics, it is impossible to separate them from the island’s position on the global scene.

The DPP administration, often (and wrongly) labeled as “independence-oriented,” continues to face a challenging domestic situation. In July and August, Taiwan saw a series of popular elections — a unique feature of its democracy, where citizens can trigger votes with enough signatures. The ruling DPP called one election, while the opposition KMT initiated another to challenge the validity of several members of parliament. The KMT-led initiative failed, which in a way strengthened the DPP, as those MPs remain in office. However, since no party holds a parliamentary majority — and Taiwan’s system does not allow for cohabitation — the political situation remains quite unstable.

In August, another key event was the referendum on the last nuclear power plant. Although a majority voted to keep it running, turnout was too low for the result to be valid. These examples illustrate how divided Taiwanese society has become — divisions that are also reflected in its relations with mainland China. Beijing continues to leverage these internal tensions to influence parts of Taiwanese public opinion.

From Brussels, Taiwan’s situation may seem distant, but it remains essential to connect both worlds and to identify opportunities for mutual learning.

The domestic landscape is challenging: polarization has deepened in recent years. Not everything is about China — the nuclear referendum, for instance, shows the diversity of issues that divide public opinion. The recall votes targeting 24 MPs were another sign of how vivid Taiwan’s democracy is. For some, these votes were not a political tool but a necessary democratic exercise, particularly among those opposing the KMT’s ties with Beijing. Even though the recalls failed, they mobilized civil society and demonstrated how a democracy functions. Others, however, fear that such processes only intensify divisions and weaken democratic trust.

President Lai has tried to steer the discussion away from polarization, but the key challenge remains: how to rebuild trust and find compromise. Taiwan’s future depends on its political forces finding common ground, because the only actor benefiting from deeper divisions is Beijing — whose interest lies in eroding Taiwan’s democracy from within and diminishing public trust in its institutions.

This episode explores these tensions and opportunities, focusing on the central questions of trust, compromise and resilience — within Taiwan’s domestic politics, across the Strait, and in its broader global relations.

This work is part of a European Commission project “China Horizons” (formal name is “Dealing with a resurgent China” or DWARC) which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement number 101061700. The project is one of the EU-funded flagship projects to upgrade independent knowledge on China in Europe. The three-year project started in November 2022.

As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) increasingly emphasizes its own model of governance as an alternative to Western liberal democracy, understanding what this term truly entails is essential for policymakers, scholars, and anyone interested in global political trends.

In this webinar, Prof. Cabestan dissects the ideological roots, institutional mechanisms, and political implications of this concept. Is “whole-process people’s democracy” simply rhetorical, or does it represent a shift in how the CCP envisions its legitimacy? How does it function in practice, and what does it signal about the direction of governance under Xi Jinping?

Through detailed analysis and firsthand insights, Prof. Cabestan examines how the Chinese leadership seeks to redefine democracy on its own terms, merging authoritarian control with selective participation. The discussion also addresses how this narrative is used domestically to consolidate power and internationally to challenge liberal democratic norms. The following Q&A session offers participants the opportunity to engage directly with one of the leading experts on Chinese politics.

Dans cet épisode captivant, Jean-Pierre Cabestan nous présente son dernier ouvrage, "Deng Xiaoping, révolutionnaire et modernisateur de la Chine". Nous plongeons dans les thématiques suivantes :

• Quel héritage politique Deng Xiaoping laisse-t-il dans la Chine actuelle ?
• Comparaison entre Deng et Xi Jinping : quelles différences fondamentales ?
• La montée des extrêmes en Occident : un parallèle avec l'autoritarisme ?
• L'influence des séjours en France et en URSS sur Deng : clés de sa politique et ses décisions, y compris la répression de Tiananmen.
• Le soutien des intellectuels à Deng et sa complexité en tant que sujet politique sensible.
• Pourquoi la valeur de la vie humaine en Chine est-elle perçue différemment ?

Un regard éclairé sur l'homme derrière les réformes économiques qui ont façonné la Chine d'aujourd'hui.

🎧 Écoutez dès maintenant !

In this episode of Asia Debates, Jean-François Di Meglio, president of Asia Centre, passes the mic to Jean-Baptiste Monnier PhD, vice-president of Asia Centre, for an insightful discussion on the geopolitics of technology.

Jean-Baptiste Monnier PhD delves into critical issues surrounding AI, semiconductors, and open-source technology, addressing their growing importance in global security.

Key topics include:

Asia Centre, founded in 2005, is an independent research institute dedicated to fostering debates and producing publications on international relations, strategic, economic, and socio-political transformations within the Asia-Pacific region. Grounded in academic research, Asia Centre provides valuable insights to both public policymakers and private sector leaders through its Asia CONNECT initiative.

This research is part of a European Commission project "China Horizons" (formal name is "Dealing with a resurgent China” or DWARC) which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101061700. The project is one of the EU-funded flagship projects to upgrade independent knowledge on China in Europe. The three-year project started in November 2022.

Following the third Plenum of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in mid-July, Jean-Pierre Cabestan explores several critical issues with Jean-François Di Meglio. Professor Cabestan adresses the following topics:

1. ​Third Plenum and Subsequent Documents: Analyzing the new balance while maintaining the same directions.
2. ​Economic Challenges: Examining the confirmed "supply-side" approach amidst ongoing difficulties and the limited solutions available.
3. ​Impact Assessment: Evaluating the level of trust-building and the extent of diffidence towards the CCP.
4. ​Potential Changes: Discussing possible adjustments and "corrections of path" in the future.
5. ​Personal Changes: Identifying the personal changes brought about by this Plenum.

Documents mentioned :

1. ​CCP Communiqué: http://en.cppcc.gov.cn/2024-07/19/c_1006186.htm
2. ​CCP Resolutions: https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202407/18/content_WS6698d829c6d0868f4e8e93d1.html
3. ​Xi’s explanation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QLvrsW83HaSJ4woQcxmHk9-y-SrNQ9Td/view?usp=drivesdk

Jean-Pierre Cabestan, Associate Researcher at Asia Centre as well as at the Centre d’Études Français on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, is a Research Director at the CNRS attached to the French Research Institute for East Asia (IFRAE) at INALCO.

Jean-François Di Meglio, renowned sinologist, is the chairman of Asia Centre.

Founded in 2005, Asia Centre is an independent research institute that holds debates and issues publications on matters relating to international, strategic, economic relations, as well as the political and social transformations underway in the Asia-Pacific region. Rooted in university research, Asia Centre advises decision makers in the public sector as well as in private enterprises (Asia CONNECT).

This research is part of a European Commission project "China Horizons" (formal name is "Dealing with a resurgent China” or DWARC) which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101061700. The project is one of the EU-funded flagship projects to upgrade independent knowledge on China in Europe. The three-year project started in November 2022.

This specific podcast is part of the WP3 on Chinese party-state politics, a work package led by CBS (Copenhagen Business School).