Since Berlin’s China Strategy entrenched “de-risking, not decoupling,” Beijing has pursued a twin track, says Stefan Messingschlager (Helmut Schmidt University): courting Berlin, while adopting a harder line at the EU level. Read his comment: merics.org/en/comment/c..., via @chinaobservers.eu

🆕In a new analysis for the China-Russia Dashboard, Henrik Wachtmeister (Swedish National China Centre) revisits Russia-China energy relations in light of the recent developments around the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline and discusses forward-looking scenarios & implications➡️ merics.org/en/comment/p...

Despite the optics of engagement between China, India and Russia at the recently concluded SCO summit, the relationships between the three powers remain complex, says MERICS Senior Associate Fellow Manoj Kewalramani. Read his comment on the topic: merics.org/en/comment/c..., via The Wire China

The new MERICS China Essentials is out! In this issue, we cover China-India relations and the recent SCO summit, China's "AI Plus" initiative, the battle against "involution" in the courier sector, and new urbanization guidelines: merics.org/en/merics-br...

The annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will take place in Tianjin from August 31 until September 1. In a new episode of our 🎧podcast, MERICS Analyst @claussoong.bsky.social explores the role of the group in China-Russia relations: merics.org/en/podcast/s...

Beijing recently released opinions on the development of manufacturing ⚖️📐metrology, a foundational technology that is fundamental for the manufacturing industry. 💡Find out more about the policy and its implications in a free excerpt from the new MERICS China Industries: merics.org/en/merics-br...

A decade after launching its industrial strategy “Made in China 2025”, Beijing has widened its goals to bolster economic security. MERICS Analyst Andreas Mischer says Xi surely believes China is on the right track. merics.org/en/comment/m..., via The Diplomat

Has the China-Serbia Free Trade Agreement that came into effect a year ago paid off for Serbia? @chinaobservers.eu Visiting Fellow Stefan Vladisavljev’s early verdict is one of cautious pragmatism: merics.org/en/comment/h...

China's new model of social governance merges Mao-era grassroots mobilization with digital surveillance and party-led service delivery. Nis Grünberg, Katja Drinhausen and Alexander Davey explore how China’s Communist Party is reinserting itself into daily life: merics.org/en/report/se...

🧬Biotechnology has the potential to transform humanity’s control over nature. Governments worldwide are racing to secure their positions in the field – and China is no exception. Listen to our podcast with Alexander Brown and Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau. merics.org/en/podcast/c...

🎧In a new episode of our podcast, former Financial Times correspondent and MERICS Senior Fellow James Kynge talks about his work as a journalist in China since the mid-1980s and China’s rise as a technological power: merics.org/en/podcast/c...

How do Chinese experts and netizens view the US-China trade conflict? Katja Drinhausen & Christina Sadeler provide insights in an analysis for @chinaspektrum.bsky.social - our project with the China Institute of Trier University, funded by Friedrich Naumann Foundation. merics.org/en/comment/e...

In a new analysis for the China-Russia Dashboard, MERICS Analyst Claus Soong describes how China and Russia are using multilateral institutions like the SCO to strengthen strategic coordination and build a new narrative to reshape the global order. 1/2 merics.org/en/comment/c...

With the rise of AI technologies, new forms of manipulation become possible. MERICS Senior Analyst Daria Impiombato explains how Beijing uses persuasive technologies for social control in a recent episode of the 7am podcast: open.spotify.com/episode/4Sl6...

Applications for three-month research internships in MERICS’ Economy, Foreign Relations, Public Policy & Society, and Science, Technology and Innovation programs are open until July 31. Find out more about the programs and internships beginning in October here: merics.org/en/opportuni...

China’s GDP growth held steady over the second quarter of 2025, despite a minor slowdown. But it may look stronger than it is, lifted by deflation and base effects of low growth in the reference period last year. Learn more in the MERICS Economic Indicators for Q2. merics.org/en/tracker/s...

In a new edition of MERICS Forum ahead of the EU-China summit on July 24, leading experts from Europe and China share their assessments on how a constructive EU-China agenda could look today given ongoing tensions on both the strategic and the economic fronts: merics.org/en/comment/m...

Chinese news reports and policy documents are dense with slogans and repetition. MERICS expert Katja Drinhausen unpacks the nuances of ideology formation and policy communication in China in a recent episode of “The Great Power Show”: trackingpeoplesdaily.substack.com/p/decoding-c...

Beijing has made self-reliance in AI at every level of technology a key objective. Wendy Chang, Rebecca Arcesati and Antonia Hmaidi examine China’s efforts in the field in a new study for the China Tech Observatory, funded by the Ministry of Research, Technology and Space: merics.org/en/report/ch...

Beijing seeks to revitalize local business dynamism with its new Private Economy Development Bureaus. While they may make the policy environment more predictable, the party still decides which firms can scale up, says former MERICS Fellow Robin Schindowski: merics.org/en/comment/s...

📣📣📣Applications for our research internships starting in October are open until July 31. As an intern at MERICS, you will have the opportunity to apply and expand skills acquired during your studies and contribute to independent policy-oriented research on China. More at: merics.org/en/jobs/meri...

Join the 2nd Kiel-Göttingen-CEPR Conference on #China in the Global Economy on July 17 at 5.00 pm to listen to MERICS’ Bernhard Bartsch’s input on “Navigating the #US-China Trade and Tech Conflict: Time for EU Leadership?”. You can register to the hybrid event here: www.ifw-kiel.de/de/institut/...

🎙️In the new episode of “China in 25”, @mikkohuotari.bsky.social, Bernhard Bartsch and Claudia Wessling talk about EU-China relations ahead of the upcoming summit in Beijing, the recent BRICS summit, and China's growing capabilities in artificial intelligence. www.buzzsprout.com/1825833/epis...

The new MERICS China Essentials is out! In this issue, we look at trade tensions ahead of the EU-China summit among other topics. With contributions from Altynay Junusova, Jacob Gunter, Helena Legarda and Daria Impiombato. merics.org/en/merics-br...

🇪🇺💴 The EU's Foreign Subsidy Regulation bears its fruit: Brussels now has unprecedented power to address market-distorting foreign subsidies, writes Andreas Mischer in his @merics.bsky.social article, now also at CHOICE as a part of our partnership! 🤝 chinaobservers.eu/the-eu-sees-...

The US appears to be moving its focus from hindering China's acquisition of cutting-edge AI technology (or at least chips) to managing the spread of Chinese AI now that Chinese companies are becoming more competitive, argue Rebecca Arcesati and Antonia Hmaidi: merics.org/en/comment/t...

The next EU-China Summit will take place in Beijing at the end of this month. In the new episode of our podcast, Abigaël Vasselier, shares her expectations: merics.org/en/podcast/2...

MERICS Executive Director @mikkohuotari.bsky.social shared his assessments of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Berlin, Germany-China and EU-China relations, and the new German government’s China policy in an interview with @zdfde.bsky.social: www.zdfheute.de/politik/deut...

“Even as US-China relations enter into ceasefire mode after the trade truce reached in London in June, competition remains the underlying logic in the relationship,” says @helenalegarda.bsky.social. Read her comment on China’s Trump playbook: merics.org/en/comment/c..., via @ipq.bsky.social

Just published: my chapter in the latest ETNC report, "Ireland between giants." Third year running I've analyzed Ireland-China dynamics—especially urgent as US-China tensions escalate. 1/3

Yesterday, we kicked-off the 10th edition of the MERICS European #China Talent Program (ECTP). It encourages young professionals to deepen their understanding of contemporary China and its influence on Europe. For 3 days, we will host 22 early-career China professionals from 14 European countries.

Two recent Chinese policy documents touch on different aspects of the state’s role as a ”matchmaker” along the country’s innovation chain. Andreas Mischer and Esther Goreichy explain key aspects of the policies in the new MERICS China Industries Brief. merics.org/en/merics-br...

📢 The 2025 #ETNC report is out! This edition analyses the evolution of Europe’s relations with Washington and Bejing and how different approaches towards the US-China rivalry are expected to evolve. 🔎 Coord. with @ifri.bsky.social @merics.bsky.social www.realinstitutoelcano.org/en/monograph...

The intensifying rivalry between the US and China has reshaped Europe’s strategic calculations. This year's report by the European Think Tank Network on China examines the evolution of Europe’s relations with Washington and Beijing: merics.org/en/report/qu...

European companies remain highly interested in China’s technology and innovation ecosystem, but are increasingly concerned about risks. Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau and Jacob Gunter explore opportunities and dilemmas of innovating in China in times of global tech rivalry. merics.org/en/report/tr...

In the ongoing conflict between the US and China, liberal democracies are facing historic challenges. Will they have to choose sides? Read MERICS Senior Associate Fellow Charles Parton’s comment piece: merics.org/en/comment/b.... via the Council on Geostrategy

🗓️ The next China Spektrum webinar (in German) will take place in two days! Tune in on June 25 from 5-6 pm CET to learn about how Chinese are debating innovation and artificial intelligence. Sign up here: uni-trier.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

China’s response to the war between Israel and Iran is one of the topics Bernhard Bartsch, @mikkohuotari.bsky.social and Claudia Wessling discuss in the new episode of China in 25, our German-language series about current developments in China: merics.org/de/podcast/c...

Beijing's response to Israel’s attack on Iran; China's removal of all tariffs on imports from African economies; humanoid robots; recent developments in Hong Kong; and the continued decline of property prices are the topics of the new MERICS China Essentials: merics.org/en/merics-br...

The MERICS China Security and Risk Tracker is out. In this edition our experts take a closer look at China’s new national security white paper that was released in mid-May with great media fanfare. merics.org/en/tracker/m...

Join the @table.media ‬event on June 25 on Berlin’s China policy, with MERICS Director External Relations Bernhard Bartsch, @derbdi.bsky.social Beijing representative Elisa Hörhager and China.Table’s Julia Fiedler. Details and registration: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi... (in German)

In the newest episode of our podcast, Kasper Ingeman Beck, Postdoc at the Copenhagen Business School, and Nis Grünberg, Lead Analyst at MERICS discuss the role of the Chinese Communist Party in the private sector and what it means for decision makers in Europe: merics.org/en/podcast/p...

Chinese greenfield EV investments in Europe are the focus topic of this year’s MERICS and @rhg.com report on Chinese FDI in the EU and UK. Rhodium Group’s Armand Meyer and MERICS’ Andreas Mischer discuss the results in a new episode of our podcast: merics.org/en/podcast/c...

Beijing’s concerns about the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation indicate that the block is addressing distortions caused by Chinese state subsidies. However, Andreas Mischer says that further steps may still be necessary. Read his new comment: merics.org/en/comment/e...

Hear Rhodium Group's Armand Meyer walk through the data in our recent report on Chinese FDI in Europe on the latest @merics.bsky.social podcast:

In the new episode of our podcast, @rhg.com Senior Research Analyst Armand Meyer and MERICS Analyst Andreas Mischer 米安德 share findings from a recent report on Chinese investment in Europe by Rhodium Group and MERICS. 🎧Podcast: merics.org/en/podcast/c... 📑Report: merics.org/en/report/ch...

"In light of mounting geopolitical tensions, the goals of Made in China 2025 have expanded beyond the conventional industrial policy framework to encompass a broader national security strategy centered on industrial supremacy", say Alexander Brown and Max J. Zenglein: merics.org/en/comment/b...

The results of the UK government’s China Audit are expected to be released in June. MERICS Senior Associate Fellow Charles Parton shares his expectations in the new episode of the MERICS China Podcast. merics.org/en/podcast/w...

Can scale alone secure global leadership? The @chinaspektrum.bsky.social team looked at how Chinese netizens have discussed Beijing’s industrial strategy “Made in China 2025” during the past decade and amidst increasing US competition: EN: merics.org/en/comment/m... DE: merics.org/de/kommentar...

A new episode of our German-language podcast China in 25 is out: Bernhard Bartsch, @mikkohuotari.bsky.social and Claudia Wessling discuss the escalation between the US and China in the area of high-performance chips and artificial intelligence among other topics. ➡️ merics.org/en/podcast/c...