MERICS China Podcast

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MERICS China Podcast

MERICS

258 episodes

2 weeks ago

To understand the Communist Party today requires an understanding of its history. To that end, Joseph Torigian and MERICS Analyst Alexander Davey join Johannes Heller-John to talk about a person who devoted more than 70 years of his life to the cause of the CCP, namely Xi Zhongxun, father of China’s party and state leader Xi Jinping. Joseph Torigian is an Associate Professor at the School of International Service at American University and Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He...

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Social Sciences

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To understand the Communist Party today requires an understanding of its history. To that end, Joseph Torigian and MERICS Analyst Alexander Davey join Johannes Heller-John to talk about a person who devoted more than 70 years of his life to the cause of the CCP, namely Xi Zhongxun, father of China’s party and state leader Xi Jinping. Joseph Torigian is an Associate Professor at the School of International Service at American University and Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He...

Show more...

Social Sciences

Episodes (20/258)

MERICS China Podcast

Xi Zhongxun and party history, with Joseph Torigian and Alexander Davey

To understand the Communist Party today requires an understanding of its history. To that end, Joseph Torigian and MERICS Analyst Alexander Davey join Johannes Heller-John to talk about a person who devoted more than 70 years of his life to the cause of the CCP, namely Xi Zhongxun, father of China’s party and state leader Xi Jinping. Joseph Torigian is an Associate Professor at the School of International Service at American University and Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He...

2 weeks ago

32 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

Domestic debates on China’s global impact, with Alexander Davey and Kristin Shi-Kupfer

2025 has seen the Chinese government act with increasing confidence in its own power and agency on the international stage. Is this confidence mirrored in Chinese self-perceptions? MERICS Analyst Alexander Davey and professor for sinology at the University of Trier Kristin Shi-Kupfer join Johannes Heller-John to cast a spotlight on domestic debates in China. Together with Christina Sadeler from MERICS and Wutao Wen from the University of Trier they are the co-authors of the report “China’s do...

2 weeks ago

34 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

China's global vision, with Katja Drinhausen and Manoj Kewalramani

Eighty years after its foundation, calls for a reform of the United Nations are abundant. Since 2021, China has put forth ideas for such reforms and a different world order in the form of international initiatives like the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative or Beijing’s most recent addition, the Global Governance Initiative launched in September 2025. Katja Drinhausen, Head of the MERICS Politics and Society Program, and Manoj Kewalramani, chairperson of the I...

4 weeks ago

44 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

China in 25: MERICS China Forecast + Ausblick 2026 + Macron und Wadephul in China

In dieser Folge des "China in 25"-Podcasts wagen Bernhard Bartsch, Mikko Huotari und Claudia Wessling einen Blick ins Jahr 2026. Dabei schauen sie auf die Ergebnisse unseres MERICS China Forecast, die anstehenden Themen des kommenden Jahres und die Chinareisen des französischen Präsidenten Macron und des deutschen Außenministers Wadephul. Für Mikko Huotari haben die Beziehungen zu China eine neue Dimension: „Das ist ein China, mit dem wir uns noch auf Jahre, Jahrzehnte auseinandersetzen müsse...

1 month ago

25 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

China in 25: Klingbeil in China + Handelsüberschuss + Chinas Inlandsinvestitionen

In dieser Folge des "China in 25"-Podcasts sprechen Bernhard Bartsch, Mikko Huotari und Claudia Wessling über die China-Reise von Finanzminister und Vize-Kanzler Lars Klingbeil, über Chinas globale Handelsüberschüsse und über den Einbruch der chinesischen Inlandsinvestitionen. Während die Reise von Vize-Kanzler Klingbeil eine Art Rückkehr zur Normalität in Zeiten turbulenter internationaler Beziehungen suggerierte, mahnt Bernhard Bartsch nicht zu vergessen, dass sich Dynamik der Beziehungen g...

1 month ago

23 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

US China policy under Trump 2.0, with George Yin

The relationship between the US and China has been fraud with conflict for many years and its twists and turns have global effects. In this episode, George Yin joins Johannes Heller-John to decipher the China policy of the US and its continuities and changes over the last administrations. They also discuss what the EU can do to find its place amidst the rivalling superpowers. George is a Senior Fellow at MERICS and a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China Studies, National Taiwan Univ...

2 months ago

25 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

China in 25: Das Treffen von Trump und Xi - Deutsch-chinesische Beziehungen + Chinas nächster Fünfjahrplan

In dieser Folge des "China in 25"-Podcasts sprechen Bernhard Bartsch, Mikko Huotari und Claudia Wessling über die mit Spannung erwartete Begegnung von Donald Trump und Xi Jinping in Südkorea, über den Stand der deutsch-chinesischen Beziehungen nach der Absage der China-Reise von Außenminister Wadephul und den nächsten Fünfjahrplan, dessen Schwerpunkte die chinesische Führung gerade auf dem Vierten Plenum des Zentralkomitees der KPC vorgezeichnet hat. Mikko Huotari sagt, China und die USA hätt...

2 months ago

22 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

Exploring strategic new frontiers, with Helena Legarda

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...

2 months ago

28 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

CCP priorities and the Fourth Plenum, with Alexander Davey

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...

2 months ago

24 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

The local reassertion of the Communist Party, with Katja Drinhausen and Nis Grünberg

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...

2 months ago

28 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

China in 25: USA und China bei der UN + TikTok + EUCCC-Positionspapier

„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 20...

3 months ago

27 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a vehicle to promote narratives of China and Russia, with Claus Soong

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 s...

4 months ago

21 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

China’s rise in biotechnology, with Alexander Brown and Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau

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 repor...

4 months ago

32 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

China's rise to global tech leadership, with James Kynge

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 thi...

5 months ago

19 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

China aims for self-reliance in AI, with Wendy Chang and Antonia Hmaidi

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 Prog...

5 months ago

30 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

„China in 25“: EU-China Beziehungen + BRICS-Gipfel + KI in China

„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...

5 months ago

25 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

The 2025 EU-China summit, with Abigaël Vasselier

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.

6 months ago

24 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

China’s National Security White Paper, with Katja Drinhausen und Helena Legarda

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 ...

6 months ago

32 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

China in 25: China und der Nahost-Krieg + Grundlagenforschung + EU-China-Gipfel

„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: Iran-China- Beziehungen + China senkt Zölle für afrik...

6 months ago

24 minutes

MERICS China Podcast

The party and the private economy, with Kasper Ingeman Beck and Nis Grünberg

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 m...

6 months ago

33 minutes