MERICS China Podcast MERICS

In this year’s government work report at the National People's Congress, the issue of science and technology was mentioned more often than any other. Why does the Chinese government put so much focus on science and technology? What does this mean for other pressing issues that the Communist Party is facing? And what does it mean for Europe and the United States?

To discuss these questions Johannes Heller-John is joined by Barry Naughton and Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau. Barry Naughton is So Kwan Lok Chair of Chinese International Affairs at the School of Global Policy and Strategy UC San Diego and co-leading research on China’s science, technology, innovation, and industrial policy at the University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC). Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau is Head of Program of “Science, Technology and Innovation” at MERICS, and his research focuses on strategic emerging industries, research collaboration and tech transfers.

MERICS and the IGCC are working together on China’s innovation ecosystem, which already led to a conference and a series of Policy Briefs on the issue.

The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, has held its yearly session in Beijing from the 5th to the 11th of March. This episode looks at what we have learned from this year's NPC and its repercussions for China and Europe. Johannes Heller-John is joined by MERICS Lead Analysts Nis Grünberg and Jacob Gunter. They argue that science and technology as well as security took precedence over socio-economic issues. 

The high-level EU-China people-to-people dialogue is planned to be resumed this spring. The last installment happened in 2020, and this podcast episode looks at the relevance and aims of the format and what might be considered as a successful outcome. 
Claudia Wessling, MERICS Director of Communications and Publications, is joined by Jean-Louis Rocca, Katja Drinhausen and Abigaël Vasselier. Jean-Louis is a professor at the renowned Sciences Po University in Paris, and a member of the EU-funded project China Horizons – Dealing with a resurgent China, a project that MERICS is part of as well. Katja is the Head of Program for our Politics and Society research team at MERICS and Abigaël is a Director for Policy and European Affairs at the institute.

This podcast episode is part of the “Dealing with a Resurgent China” (DWARC) project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101061700. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Obtaining crucial information from and on China is becoming increasingly difficult for governments, businesses and researchers alike. “Geopolitics is a big factor,” says MERICS Associate Fellow Vincent Brussee “but there are many other dynamics that are intrinsically tied to how the Chinese political system works.”

He is the co-author of a recent MERICS report on the topic and joins Johannes Heller-John in this episode. Vincent is a PhD Candidate at Leiden University and author of the book “Social Credit: The Warring States of China’s Emerging Data Empire”. You can find the report “The increasing challenge of obtaining information from Xi's China” by Vincent Brussee and Kai von Carnap here.

Beijing’s industrial policy increasingly puts the focus on the cultivation of high-tech small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This MERICS Podcast episode looks at the emergence of China’s “Little Giants,” as well as Beijing’s goals, key policies, and implications for foreign companies. We also delve into developments in medical technologies, one of the key sectors outlined in the “Made in China 2025” strategy. 
Christine Krüger talks with MERICS analysts Alexander Brown and François Chimits. They are the co-authors of two MERICS reports on the topic: “Accelerator state: How China fosters ‘Little Giant’ companies” and “Investigating state support for China’s medical technology companies.”

What are the most pressing issues in EU-China relations in 2024? What does Europe need to focus on in managing relations with China? How might China seek to exploit the campaign season, in which Europe will be preoccupied with its own problems? In this podcast, Abigaël Vasselier, Director Policy & European Affairs/Head of Program Foreign Relations at MERICS, discusses these and other questions with Claudia Wessling, Director Communications and Publications.
This podcast episode is part of the “Dealing with a Resurgent China” (DWARC) project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101061700. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.