EU-China Podcast

Dear EU-China Watchers!In case you missed the announcement sent via our newsletter and social media, we are pausing the release of new content in November. We decided to do so, as we are preparing for a new and exciting announcement, so stay tuned for the big news- coming by the end of the month!Thanks and stay safe!

In this week's briefing, we cover:The Biden Presidency and EU-US-China RelationsChina Suspends the Biggest IPO in HistoryEP’s International Trade Committee to Discuss OSA and Propose China Task ForceTrilogue Reaches a Deal on the Rule of Law - Will it Work?China Leads Vaccine Efforts in the Developing WorldFor a written version, visit: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing, we cover:The Fifth Plenum Sets Development Priorities of the 14th Five-Year PlanUpdate on EU Budget and Recovery Fund NegotiationsReport on Brussels Bubble’s Thoughts on EU’s Future After the PandemicBrussels in Crosshairs For Using HikvisionGlimpses of Germany's Post-Merkel Stance on ChinaFor a written version, visit: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing, we cover:China Set to Be the Only Major Economy to Note Growth in 2020Commission Proposes the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions RegimeEU and US Launch Dialogue on ChinaBorrell Talks China and ClimateSweden Bans Huawei and ZTE Not Mincing Its WordsFor a written version, visit: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing, we cover:Of Sanctions and Export Controls - EU Gets Tougher on ChinaMEPs Take Huawei Head OnThe Second Wave Disrupts EU Leaders’ Meetings - Including on ChinaXi’s Southern Tour - Opening Up or Self-Reliance?Romania Chooses US Over China on Major Energy Project: A CEE Case StudyFor a written version visit: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing, we cover:Negative Opinions on China Skyrocket in EuropeGermany-led Coalition of 39 UN Members Criticize China Over Human Rights - China Strikes BackEU’s FDI Screening Mechanism Becomes Operational - How Does it Work?The EU Moves to Counter China’s Influence in the BalkansBad Week for Huawei in Europe - Brussels 5G Won’t Run on HuaweiFor written version visit: euchinahub.com

Here comes this week's briefing:(Open) Strategic Autonomy - EU-China Economic Angle ExplainedSpecial European Council Summit Reaffirms EU’s Strategic Outlook on ChinaGermany Closer to Restricting Huawei in its Domestic 5G NetworksPompeo Tours Europe Again Seeking Convergence on ChinaCCP’s Fifth Plenum on the Horizon - What To Expect From the Next Five Year Plan?For written version visit: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing, we cover:Xi Pledges Carbon Neutrality by 2060Ambassador Zhang Ming’s Hearing at the European Parliament - OverviewEU in China, China in EU - A Tale of Reports by Two Chambers of CommerceExpanded Crackdown in Tibet - New Data EmergeThe EU, US, Huawei, and China Intersect in SerbiaFor written version visit: euchinahub.com

OUR TOPICIn today’s episode, we discuss ways in which geopolitics increasingly affects global connectivity, how China’s connectivity proposal compares to that of the EU, and what should the EU do in the context of connectivity becoming a battleground for Sino-American rivalry. It is through this lens that we will take a look at the Central and Eastern Europe (including the EU’s Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood) to see how those dynamics play out in practice.OUR GUESTJakub Jakóbowski in the Coordinator of the Connectivity in Eurasia Project, as well as a Senior Fellow at the China Programme in the Centre  for Eastern Studies, a public think-tank based in Warsaw. He specializes in China's international political economy, as  well as CEE-China and EU-China relations. We highly recommend his report 'The Silk  Railroad. The EU-China rail connections: background, actors, interests' as well as his publications on the China-CEE 17+1 format.Visit: euchinahub.com

In this briefing we cover:Von der Leyen’s First State of the Union - OverviewBeijing Defends Its Actions in Xinjiang, EU Considers Stepping Up Creation of European Magnitsky ActPompeo Moves to Solidify US-EU Cooperation on ChinaEU-Taiwan Investment Forum Comes at a Particular TimeZhenhua Scandal - China’s ‘Cambridge Analytica’ or Overblown Story?For written version: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing, we cover:Wang Yi Wraps up His European Tour - Final Stop and Sum UpReactions to Vystrčil’s Taiwan Visit - Threats, Support, and CriticismYang Jiechi Visits Greece and Spain - Mission UnclearBorrell’s Geopolitical Vision and China’s Geopolitical PracticeNew Campaigns Target Minorities and Signal Another Party PurgeFor a written version visit: euchinahub.com

It's good to be back after the summer break!In this week's briefing, we cover:Wang Yi Tours Europe with a Damage Control MissionThe Latest on Little LeipzigThe EU and China Take Opposing Stances on BelarusCzech Senate President Visits TaiwanNew Insights into Internal CCP Struggles Come to LightFor a written version visit: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing we cover:Pompeo’s NATO-China Quid Pro QuoUS Plans to Ban TikTok, the EU Isn’t InterestedHuawei Skepticism Signs Visible Across EuropeLittle LeipzigBeidaihe - Is it on?For a written version visit: euchinahub.comOur team is starting a holiday break - we will return with the next briefing on August 31.

In this week's episode we cover:EU-China High-Level Trade and Economic Dialogue - Make it or Break it for CAI 2020 EU Releases Response Package on Hong KongCybersecurity, Back in the Spotlight - EU’s First-Ever Cyber-SanctionsChina’s Diplomatic Push - Beijing Seeks to Prevent US-led ContainmentEstonia Rejects China-backed Infrastructure PlanFor written version visit: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing we cover:EU’s Update on 5G Toolbox Implementation and ‘Huawei Measures’Towards a Coordinated EU Response on Hong KongPompeo Looks For Friends To Get Hawkish on ChinaChina Responds to Pompeo and Calls GermanyEuropean Council’s Consensus on Recovery Package and Way ForwardFor written version go to: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing, we cover:UK Bans Huawei Starting Next Year - Impact on EUThe Response on Hong Kong Shows Challenge of EU Foreign Policy BuildingChina’s Economy Is Expected to Grow, but Experts Question Official DataClosing the Ranks - Xi’s VisionEuropean Council in Fierce Negotiations over Recovery InstrumentFor a written version visit: euchinahub.com

In today’s episode, we discuss EU’s diversification of supply chains, the idea of change-through-trade and the new buzzword that you can hear all over Brussels - the open strategic autonomy. All this sheds some light on topics that can we expect to come up in EU discussions on China in the coming months.Iuliu Winkler is an MEP from EPP Group, the Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, within which he is the rapporteur on China, and also a member of the EP’s delegation for relations with the PRC. Prior to becoming an MEP, Mr. Winkler was Communications Minister as well as Minister-Delegate for Trade (Head of Foreign Trade Department) in Romania.Written version coming to: euchinahub.com

In this week's EU-China Briefing, we cover:Hong Kong - Political Assylum ChallengeHuawei Developments in EU’s Three Biggest Telecom MarketsThe EU-China Diverge - Centralization and Open Strategic AutonomyGermany’s China Policy Reexamined - Merkel, Critics, DependencyA Compromise Proposal for EU’s Recovery Fund and MFFFor a written format visit: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing, we cover:Hong Kong National Security Law Enters Force [01:18]EU’s Response on Hong Kong [07:37]Maas and Borrell on EU's Future Strategy [13:12]European Parliament’s Briefing on EU-China Relations - Overview [17:45]Privacy Challenge - Huawei, Bytedance, and GDPR [29:47]For written version visit: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing, we cover:EU-US Bilateral Dialogue on China is a GoHuawei Faces Increasingly Bumpy Road AheadEU Calls Out China on Disinformation, But Many Questions RemainChanged Worldviews of EU Citizens after COVID19 - ECFR StudyGermany About to Start Its EU Presidency - Goals AheadFor written version visit: euchinahub.com

In today’s episode, we take a look at relations between Sweden and China, which say a lot about the challenge of balancing values and interests in China policy. We discuss a number of topics, such as the detainment of the Swedish citizen Gui Minhai, Sweden’s 2019 China strategy, and the costs of political fallout with China. All of this in order to draw lessons for the EU and other member states of the block on how to handle systemic rivalry with China.Björn Jerdén is the Head of Asia Programme at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, where he focuses his research on China and frequently comments on Sino-Swedish relations. He has been a visiting fellow at National Chengchi University, National Taiwan University, and Harvard University. We recommend that you read his recent publications:  “Sweden: Not quite friends in need with China amid the COVID-19 crisis” and “China’s propaganda campaign in Sweden, 2018–2019”, links to which you can find on our website: euchinahub.com

In this special briefing we cover:EU-China Summit - All You Need to Know [1:22]EU’s Rhetoric on Hong Kong Toughens Ahead of EU-China Summit [14:33]EU Fortifies the Common Market Tackling Foreign State Subsidies [21:11]No Progress on MFF and Recovery Package [29:48]Written version at: euchinahub.com

In this episode, we take a look at Hungary’s China policy and some of the key projects of Sino-Hungarian relations, including the controversial Belgrade-Budapest railway. But we also tackle some wider questions, such as whether Hungary’s China policy is driven primarily by national interest or the personal vision of its prime minister.Tamás Matura is the Founder of the Central and Eastern European Center for Asian Studies, a permanent Assistant Professor of Corvinus University of Budapest, and a founding member of the European Think Tank Network on China. He has worked as a research fellow of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs and served as an adviser on China to the Minister of National Economy, as an editor of the China Strategy of Hungary, and as an author of the BRICS Strategy of Hungary.

In this week's briefing, we cover:EU-China Strategic Dialogue and the Emergence of ‘Sinatra Doctrine’ [01:27]Human Rights and Competition - Parliament's Resolution, Commission's White Paper [10:22]EU Moves to Tackle Digital Disinformation Mentioning China [16:55]EU Chamber of Commerce in China - Business Confidence Survey 2020 [23:48]Amidst Internal Troubles, NATO Acknowledges China Challenge [30:25]For written version visit: euchinahub.com

In today’s episode, we look at the business environment in China and the current standing of European businesses in the Chinese market. We will cover the Business Confidence Survey recently released by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. But we will go well beyond that, so stay tuned to hear about the impact of COVID-19 on European businesses in China, progress on the Comprehensive Agreement on Investments, and what we can expect from the economic policies that came out of the Two Sessions. We will discuss this with a guest who is in the middle of it all. Charlotte Roule is Vice President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, a member of the Jinan Mayor’s International Economic Consultation Committee, and an external trade advisor for the French Government.

In this briefing we cover:Leipzig Postponed - What Does This Mean?The EU Moves to Further Scrutinise State-aided TakeoversThe Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) Gets LaunchedThe UK’s Plans on Hong Kong and Post-Brexit Global BritainThe Politics of Global Health GovernanceFor written version visit: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing we cover:Reactions to Hong Kong National Security LawGeopolitical Perspectives from Beijing and Brussels - Important Speeches by Top Diplomats AnalysedPriorities of the Upcoming German Presidency of the Council RevisitedEU’s Recovery Plan and New Budget  - Roadmap ExplainedPressure Mounts on Huawei Globally - Survival is the Key WordFor written version visit: euchinahub.com

In this week's briefing we cover:Two Sessions 2020 - China’s Economic Way ForwardTwo Sessions 2020 - Breaking One Country, Two Systems, and Changing Rhetoric on TaiwanWorld Health Assembly - From China’s Worst Nightmare, to a Dream Come TrueFrance and Germany Propose a Recovery FundChina Discovers New Clusters of COVID-19 as Europe ReopensEU’s Neighbour Rethinks its Post-Brexit China PolicyFor written version visit: www.euchinahub.com

In today’s episode, we take a look at the 17+1 China-Central and Eastern Europe cooperation, evaluate its political and economic substance, and investigate how it ties into wider EU-China relations. Ivana Karásková is a China Research Fellow and a Project Coordinator at the Prague-based Association for International Affairs (AMO) and the coordinator of the China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe (CHOICE), a collaborative international platform bringing together China experts from 17 CEE countries. She also coordinates MapInfluenCE project aimed at tracking China’s influence in Central Europe, specifically Czechia, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. Recently she led a group of 10 researchers from Central and Eastern and European countries to carry out an audit of 17+1 and evaluate how active or inactive the framework really is. The audit resulted in a report under a telling title “Empty shell no more: China’s growing footprint in Central and Eastern Europe”. You can find it on our website.

In this week's News Brief we cover:The EU and China: Self-Reflection over Diplomatic RowsUpdates on EU-China Summit and CAI Negotiations with China Re-think in the BackgroundHuawei Question is Still to be AnsweredEU States in CEE Drift Apart on China IssuesBrussels’ Spy Stories or China Paranoia?

In this week's News Brief we cover:EU Ambassadors’ OpEd Censored in China DailyChina in the COVID World - Beijing’s Strategic OutlookEU-China Audit by Rasmussen GlobalChina in EU-Western Balkans SummitChina-Europe Railways Get a Boost

In this week's News Brief we cover:EEAS Report - Diplomacy as Usual or Power Games?Investigating COVID-19 - International Consensus, International DividesCOVID-19 and Europe-China Relations - 19 National Case StudiesCalling Their Bluff? China’s Economic Leverage ExaminedTwo Sessions Date Announced - Is China Back?

In this News Brief we cover:Pragmatic Discontent and EEAS Scandal - EU’s Response to China’s DisinformationYour Friendly Neighborhood BorrellRepatriation or Diversification - How Much Globalisation Will the EU Give Up?Report by the Alliance for Securing Democracy, on Chinese Political Interference in DemocraciesFrom Digital Payments to Digital Currency

In today’s episode, we discuss the growing role of China in setting global technical standards and clear up this vital, highly technical topic. This tool for globalisation and market unification is increasingly becoming a stage for geopolitical competition within which both China and the EU are important actors.Tim Rühlig is definitely the right person to set things straight and explain all the complexities involved. He is a Research Fellow at The Swedish Institute of International Affairs, where he focuses on China’s industrial and economic policies, and their impact on Europe - in this context, he also researches technical standardisation. He is a member of the China Task Force of the European standardisation organisations CEN and CENELEC, and provides expertise on technical standards to many organisations, including the European Commission. Previously, he worked as a research associate at the Cluster of Excellence “Formation of Normative Orders” in Frankfurt.To read Tim's report, which we discuss, click here.Audio editing in cooperation with Sofia Biasin

In this news brief we cover:Chinese Economy Shrinks for the First Time since Data Have Been RecordedChina Changes Charm Offensive to Offensive CharmEU Reassesses its Relationship with ChinaUnhealthy Delays of the Past, Silk Road of the Future? - Ugly Truths about the Health CrisisThe Light at the End of the Roadmap - Preparations to Lift the LockdownsFor written version visit: euchinahub.com

In today’s episode, we investigate the complexities of Sino-Italian relations, which over the last few weeks—like a focusing lens—brought together many interesting topics: the outbreak of COVID-19, China’s disinformation campaigns, Euroscepticism, and wider discussions on EU solidarity. There’s really a lot to unpack here. Fortunately, we are joined by an expert in the field.Lucrezia Poggetti is an Analyst at the Berlin-based MERICS, a leading European think tank focused on China. She researches EU-China relations and China’s public diplomacy strategies in Europe, and also has experience working on China’s domestic policies at the EU Delegation to the PRC. Her works have been widely published by, among others: The Diplomat, China File, Project Syndicate, Il Sole 24 Ore, and the Berlin Policy Journal. Being Italian, she frequently comments on Sino-Italian relations and can help us shed light on the rapidly changing dynamics of Italian-Chinese interactions.More at: euchinahub.comPhoto credit: ©MERICS/Marco Urban

In this news brief we cover:Chinese FDI in Europe is Dwindling, but COVID-19 Could Reverse ThatToying with the Numbers? China’s Data on COVID-19 QuestionedStatus Check on the 17+1 - Report by CHOICEEU Bonding at Last, but Without the BondsWhen in Deep Water, Liberalize - China’s New ReformsFor full, written version visit: euchinahub.com

We will discuss it with our guest, who has long been involved in a discussion on China’s presence in the Central and Eastern Europe - as a think tank expert and an academic, who knows Czech-China relations inside out and warned of the possible fallout in the relations before it happened.He is the programme director at an independent think tank the Central European Institute of Asian Studies, an assistant professor at Mendel University in Brno and a Key Researcher at Palacky University in Olomouc, where he develops an EU-funded project Sinophone Borderlands. He also actively participates in numerous networks focused on EU-China affairs such as European Think Tank Network on China (ETNC), China in Europe Research Network (CHERN), or Chinese Observers in Central Europe (CHOICE). I am very happy to be talking to Richard Turcsanyi.

China's Economic Recovery - Fact or Myth?The Path Forward for Businesses in the EU and China COVID-19 Disinformation Targeting "EU Disintegration" Spreads to the Balkans Taiwan Provides EU with Medical AidEricsson in China, Huawei in EuropeOrban's Rule by Decree Set to Accelerate Belgrade-Budapest Railway Project

Our guest  is a veteran China-watcher and an MEP, who has served at the European Parliament for over a decade representing the German Green Party. He is the Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the People’s Republic of China and a Member of the European Parliament’s Delegation to the United States, but he wears many more hats - including that of a member of the German-Chinese Dialogue Forum. Put simply, there’s no one better positioned to comment on shaping EU’s unity towards China, especially ahead of the upcoming German Presidency and Leipzig Summit. It is my great pleasure to talk to Reinhard Bütikofer.

In today’s news we cover:Brussels Shifts Its Stance on China's Support - "Global Battle of Narratives" Amid COVID-19Scandals of China's Mask-DiplomacyChina's Mask Diplomacy - Donations vs. Sales in PerspectiveHas G20 Succeeded Where G7 Failed?EU Commission Emphasises FDI Screening Amid Potential COVID-19 Buyouts Enjoy & Stay Safe!

In today’s episode, we look at Central Europe - particularly at Poland and Hungary - to explore the EU-China relations in this region. We will take a wider geostrategic perspective, which involves also the United States and Russia and naturally, we will talk about 17+1 and clashes of interests in the region. But keep listening also to learn about the perspective of the two countries which are active actors pursuing their own interests.Our guest today is a man of many talents - Polish sinologist, who calls Hungary his second home and researches European integration. He is the Director of the Center for Europe at the University of Warsaw and a lifelong diplomat, who served as an Ambassador on multiple posts in Asia and as a chief of policy cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Author of many books and publications on the EU, China, and Hungary, he has a unique insight into Polish and Hungarian perspectives on EU-China relations and wider global power shifts. It is my great pleasure to talk to Bogdan Góralczyk.

In todays news we cover:Europe Becomes Coronavirus Epicentre as China RecoversChina's Support for Europe - Humanitarian Aid and Coronavirus DiplomacyGlobal Response to Covid-19 Unlikely Amid DistrustEU-China Summit Officially Postponed - CAI Negotiations Take a Hit?EU Proposes New Strategy for Relations with Africa - China MentionedNew Competition Law Will Likely Target China's SOEs

Our guest today is a former European Commission’s Director responsible for international affairs in DG Enterprise (now DG GROW) and a Senior Advisor at the EU-Asia Centre think tank in Brussels. In his work, he co-shaped EU-China economic relations, which he is continuing to study as a Research Associate at the University of Oxford China Centre. As a UK citizen and accomplished EU official, he is uniquely positioned to assess the impact of Brexit on EU-China relations both in economic and institutional terms. It is my great pleasure to welcome John Farnell, who is joining us remotely from Oxford.

In todays news we cover:Coronavirus Hits Italy and Impacts European Business in ChinaSwedish Citizen Gui Minhai Gets Sentenced in China for 10 yearsGermany CDU’s Elections May Disrupt EU-China Relations in 2020Contradictory Messages About Postponing EU-China SummitEurope, China, and Russia Come Together on Iran Nuclear Deal

Jacob Gunter is the Policy and Communications Manager at the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and lead pen of their recent report on the involvement of European companies in the Belt and Road Initiative - "The Road Less Travelled". He has spent over eight years in China living as a student and professional in Yuyao in Zhejiang province, in Nanjing where he studied at the prestigious Hopkins–Nanjing Center, and currently in Beijing. As he told me himself, he is globalization in practice - an American, working in China for the European Union.

In todays news we cover:EU & US Diverge on China at Munich Security ConferenceCoronavirus - Supply Chains and SummitsEU’s Digital Package in China ContextVatican in Talks with ChinaChina’s Diplomatic Spats in Northern and Central and Eastern EuropeAlstom Preparing a Merger to Rival Chinese Train Giants

In this two-part episode, we dive deep into the topic of the EU’s engagement with China’s Belt and Road Initiative - are the European companies involved in BRI? Does the EU’s Connectivity Strategy support European businesses? What about China promoting its standards through BRI projects?We tackle this questions with Jacob Gunter the Policy and Communications Manager at the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and lead pen of their recent report on the involvement of European companies in the Belt and Road Initiative - "The Road Less Travelled". He has spent over eight years in China living as a student and professional in Yuyao in Zhejiang province, in Nanjing where he studied at the prestigious Hopkins–Nanjing Center, and currently in Beijing. As he told me himself, he is globalization in practice - an American, working in China for the European Union.

In todays news we cover:Coronavirus UpdateCoronavirus & Europe - Reaction and ImpactEurope Responds to HuaweiMERICS - Survey on EU-China Relations in 2020Europe Plans to Build Industrial ChampionsBalkans, EU, China - Strategic Membership Criteria

Our guest is Justyna Szczudlik, who is the Head of the Asia-Pacific Programme and a China analyst at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM). She recently co-authored and published a report on the EU-China paradiplomacy - following a three year long study on the topic. Her research interests also involve China-Central and Eastern Europe and Sino-Polish relations, so check her work especially if you are a fan of 17+1 debates.Be sure to check out the report “The Subnational Dimensions of EU China relations” released by PISM in cooperation with experts from the University of Lodz in Poland. The report is available for free online and you can find a link to it on our website - click here

In this episode, we take a look at the big picture and take a geopolitical perspective to tackle a question - how has the narrative of EU-China relations been changing in the last years?  Our guest - Shada Islam - is the Director of Europe and Geopolitics at Friends of Europe think tank and a visiting professor at the College of Europe. She has been identified as one of the most influential women in Brussels by Politico. Long time proponent of European engagement with Asia, she is working to facilitate a space for dialogue among policymakers, experts, and business people for open discussions on EU-China – and EU-Asia - relations.*Link to the report mentioned in the intro is available in a transcript of this episode at: euchinahub.com *