MERICS China Podcast

The time of vast investments of Chinese capital into Europe seem to be over. While China’s FDI in Europe in 2021 increased in comparison to the year before, it remained on a multi-year downward trajectory. Globally, also, the growth of Chinese FDI stalled and remained at roughly the same amount as the year before.

Following the recent publication of the MERICS and Rhodium Group report on Chinese FDI in Europe in 2021, we are joined by one of its authors, MERICS Analyst Gregor Sebastian, to take a look at the key take-aways of the report. We pay particular attention to the rise in greenfield and venture capital investments and whether these trends are likely to continue. The conversation concludes with a look at the first year of the European FDI Screening Mechanism and its impact on Chinese FDI in Europe. Questions were asked by Johannes Heller-John.

On Friday, April 1, the leaders of the European Union and the People’s Republic of China met virtually for the 23rd EU-China Summit. While areas of shared interest like climate change and health played a role, the main focus was on Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, which both sides discussed extensively.

In this podcast, Grzegorz Stec, Analyst at MERICS and expert on EU-China relations, looks at the buildup and outcomes of the summit, compares it to previous EU-China Summits, and shares his assessment on the trajectory of EU-China relations. Questions asked by Johannes Heller-John.

In the last couple of years, it has become increasingly difficult for foreign researchers to access China, and even more difficult to conduct critical field research. One of the few channels for empirical data that is left to China watchers is open-source data, which has become an essential resource, especially on politically more sensitive topics.

To talk about open-source data research, how it works, why it matters and what it means for the future of China watching we are joined by Emile Dirks. He is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto and the Futures Fellow here at MERICS. His research focuses on China civil society, human rights, censorship and state surveillance.

Emile is one of the creators of the China drug, crime and detention database, an extensive collection of open-source resources on crime into judiciary in China, and co-author of a report with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute on Genomic Surveillance in China, detailing findings about the Chinese government's forensic DNA database. Questions asked by Jonas Schneider.

The “two sessions”, the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), wrapped up in Beijing on March 11. In this episode, MERICS Lead Analyst Nis Grünberg discusses the main outcomes of these important annual meetings, which generally offer a window into the central government’s priorities. These include an ambitious GDP growth target of 5.5 percent, a focus on stability amid international turbulence, a refocus on energy security rather than emission reductions and an increase in defense spending by 7.1 percent. Grünberg also explains how changes to the so-called Organic Law try to strengthen Xi’s control over decisions taken in provinces and other lower administrative levels. Questions by Johannes Heller-John, Communications Manager at MERICS.

At 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 Publications Claudia Wessling.

If you want to listen to the other parts of our series on common prosperity, you can find them on our website at www.merics.org/podcast and wherever you listen to our podcasts. We had seasoned China watchers like Barry Naughton, Isabella Weber, and Sarah Eaton on the show, please check our podcast archive.

Jedes Jahr Anfang März kommen die fast 3.000 Abgeordneten des Nationalen Volkskongresses (NVK) in Beijing für ihre Vollversammlung zusammen. Der NVK ist das oberste Gesetzgebungsorgan Chinas, wird aber auch als Scheinparlament bezeichnet, da er vollkommen unter der Kontrolle der Kommunistischen Partei steht. Welche Rolle spielt der NVK im politischen System Chinas? Wie geht so eine Mammut-Veranstaltung vonstatten? Und welche Bedeutung hat die Tagung in diesem innenpolitisch bedeutsamen Jahr und im Vorfeld des 20. Parteitags im Herbst?

Darüber sprechen wir mit MERICS Senior Fellow Johnny Erling, einem der langjährigsten und erfahrensten China-Korrespondenten Deutschlands. Zuletzt berichtete er von 1997 bis 2019 für „Die Welt“ und den österreichischen „Standard“ aus Beijing. Mehr als 20 Mal verfolgte er den Volkskongress vor Ort in Beijing.

Ukraine has once again risen to the headlines due to an intensification of its conflict with Russia that has been smoldering since 2014, culminating in a full-scale invasion by Russia early on February 24. 

The Chinese position in the weeks leading up to and during the war so far has been one of hedging, trying to avoid taking a clear side in the deepening crisis. In a meeting ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 4, Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese State and Party Leader Xi Jinping issued a joint statement of support and affirmed their commitment to “deepening back-to-back strategic cooperation.” Chinese official statements on the situation in Ukraine, however, sound much more uncommitted. In a speech at the Munich Security Conference on February 19, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged all sides to “shoulder their responsibilities and work for peace.” As the war broke out, Beijing continued to call for restraint and a negotiated solution to the crisis. But it also adopted a more Russia-friendly tone, questioning the use of the word ‘invasion’ to describe the situation and blaming the US for aggravating the crisis.

To analyze the Chinese position in Russia’s war in Ukraine, the status of the Russia-China relationship and the implications for future conflicts, we are joined by two experts on the issue: Jakub Jakóbowski and Helena Legarda. Jakub coordinates the Connectivity in Eurasia project and is a senior fellow at the China Program of the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), a public think tank based in Warsaw, Poland. In November he co-authored a study on the Russia-China relationship. Helena is a Lead Analyst in the Foreign Relations team at MERICS and has recently published a new issue of our Security and Risk Tracker that analyzed the situation in Ukraine among other topics.

This conversation was recorded on February 23. Accordingly, more recent events will not figure into the discussion. The episode, however, focuses on more general issues, which still remain relevant.

This episode looks at the potential impact of the French EU Council Presidency on the bloc's China policy. We also delve into French China policy and wage a look ahead on what the outcome of the upcoming French presidential elections in April 2022 could mean for the country's engagement with China. 

To discuss these issues, we are joined by François Godement, a Senior Advisor for Asia at the Institut Montaigne in Paris, Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C., as well as an external consultant for the Policy Planning Staff of the French Ministry for Europe and International Affairs. In the past, François headed ECFR's Asia and China programme and lectured at Sciences Po and France's National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO). 

With the 24th Winter Olympic Games, Beijing has become the first city to host both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games – a source of national pride and a sign of China’s ambition to become a global superpower. The leadup to the games, however, has been mired by the decision of several liberal democracies not to send high level dignitaries to the games in protest over human rights violations in Xinjiang. In addition, the specter of the ongoing global COVID pandemic is having its effect on the games.

What do the Winter Olympic Games 2022 mean for the Chinese leadership, how is COVID affecting this year’s games and what do the Chinese people think about them? We will discuss these questions with Valarie Tan, Analyst at MERICS. In her view, “both Olympic Games [2008 and 2022] are part of Xi Jinping’s legacy and a true reflection of Chinas expansion and ambition to become a global superpower.”

A sizeable part of the Chinese economy is still dominated by state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Due to their direct link to the government, they are often employed as spearheads for the roll-out of new policies. What role does the government envision for SOEs in the ongoing common prosperity push for a more equal China? How can Beijing mobilize SOEs and what actions will they take?

This episode of our podcast features a discussion with Sarah Eaton and Nis Grünberg. Sarah Eaton is Professor of Transregional China Studies at Humboldt University Berlin and co-founder of the Berlin Contemporary China Network. Nis Grünberg is Lead Analyst at MERICS.

More on the topic:

Check out our other recent podcasts on China’s economic policies:

• China’s economic policies, with Barry Naughton and Max J. Zenglein
• Common prosperity means closer alignment with CCP goals for private companies, with Isabella Weber and Jacob Gunther