China Strategy 2022

All news and posts of our editorial team on the topic

China is more partner than rival for Scholz
In an essay for the Foreign Affairs magazine, Olaf Scholz explains the global Zeitenwende. It also includes China. However, to an alarmingly limited extent. And often words and reality do not match. continue reading →
‘Technology is not value-free’
Didi Kirsten Tatlow is a Senior Fellow at the Asia Program at the German Council on Foreign Relations. She has co-edited and co-authored a book, “China’s Quest for Foreign Technology: Beyond Espionage” that reveals Beijing's legal and illegal hunt for foreign technology. In an interview with China.Table, Tatlow urges the West to step up its determination to finally better protect innovations from Chinese takeovers. At stake, she says, is nothing less than our open form of society. continue reading →
‘There will be no unequivocal support for Putin’s war’
It is Beijing's biggest annual political event: More than 2,000 delegates form the plenum of the National People's Congress (NPC), which convenes starting Saturday. It is the stage for major policy decisions and key draft laws. The prime minister's speech provides clues about the focus of China's future policies. Xuewu Gu, Chair of Political Science at the University of Bonn, explains to Christiane Kuehl why economic policy will be again at the heart of the People's Congress – despite the tense situation. continue reading →
Andres Schell – expands with Rolls-Royce engines in China
Whenever Andreas Schell faces difficult situations today, he thinks back to last fall. Back then, the CEO of engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce Power Systems sprinted through the Moroccan desert, completing almost 250 kilometers in one week in an ultramarathon. “I’m still feeding off the feeling of having overcome my limits,” says Schell. The 52-year-old also needs […] continue reading →
Peter Gerstmann – Zeppelin CEO and band member
“Show respect, wherever you are!” – Peter Gerstmann soulfully interprets the company song of his Zeppelin group in the video. A singing manager? Gerstmann doesn’t mind. He enjoys the freedoms as CEO of a foundation company that focuses on both the common good and profits. “Fortunately, I’m allowed to pursue different goals than many of […] continue reading →
Mirjam Meissner – prospective consultant and oboe musician
Mirjam Meissner had prepared herself for the usual stay abroad that many sinologists take towards the end of their studies. She wanted to go to Wuhan to properly learn Mandarin and immerse herself in Chinese culture. But she also wanted to practice the oboe. And that makes noise. So she decided to move from the […] continue reading →
Wolfgang Niedermark – ‘nationalistic tones have poisoned the atmosphere’
When Wolfgang Niedermark speaks about China, regret echoes in his voice. Since October 2020, the 56-year-old German has been a member of the Executive Board of the Federation of German Industries (BDI). In both his professional and private life, he has witnessed China’s economic prowess, cultural diversity, and social dynamism on the ground over many […] continue reading →
Claudia Barkowsky – a Chinese career
At long last, Claudia Barkowsky can finally travel from China to Germany again. She has not been back to her home state of Brandenburg since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic two years ago. She is now visiting friends and family during the Chinese New Year – and is accepting a three-week quarantine in China […] continue reading →
‘The old rules no longer apply’
What changed in 2021, what will 2022 bring? The dispute over automotive supplier Continental shows how belligerent China has become. Speaking with China.Table, sinologist Klaus Muehlhahn explains why the testy mood is not set to change anytime soon and warns against a lack of reliable information about China. This could lead to serious miscalculations, especially as there is no direct line to Beijing. Finn Mayer-Kuckuk spoke with Muehlhahn. continue reading →
Andreas Fuchs – a development-focused economist
In a way, it was the Dalai Lama and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy who got Professor Andreas Fuchs involved with China. The 2008 meeting between the Tibetan leader and the then EU Council president caused dissonance between the EU and China. “The political tensions were so present that Chinese people in my circle of […] continue reading →
‘It’s also increasingly about risk management’
Jens Hildebrandt, head of the Chambers of Commerce Abroad in Beijing, takes a critical view of China's isolation due to COVID policy – according to him, this also creates major problems for Chinese companies. He talks to Frank Sieren about the prospects for German companies in a stronger, more authoritarian China and why it is more important than ever to resume exchange with China. continue reading →
Didi Kirsten Tatlow – China-critical analyst
Didi Kirsten Tatlow (54) grew up in Hong Kong – right in the neighborhood of a huge country. From an early age, she came into contact with her big neighbor China. It became her vocation: “China was my world and the reason to become a journalist.” Because “Europe never understood China very well and still […] continue reading →
Exit out of the sanctions trap: ‘We’re simply filling the CAI with life!’
Joerg Wuttke in conversation with Frank Sieren: The President of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China believes sanctions are wrong, argues for pushing ahead with the investment agreement, and sees only limited European political influence on China. While the EU should protect itself against unfair competition from Chinese state-owned enterprises, it should see competition from private companies as an incentive. The goal of the policy should be a prosperous China. At the same time, Wuttke warns Beijing not to squander its opportunities out of overconfidence. continue reading →
Bernhard Weber
Bernhard Weber first came to China in the early 1980s as a student at Shandong University. “At that time, it was a country with practically no cars. A city like Shanghai probably had hardly more than 500 passenger cars,” Weber recounts, to illustrate the rapid development. In the meantime, the 62-year-old is the managing director […] continue reading →
Sanctions will not hurt Beijing
The meeting between the US and China in Alaska did not deliver much substance. The approaches of the two interlocutors were too contrasting. China's goal is to ensure that its political model gets a permanent and uncontested seat at a table dominated by liberal democracies. Possible sanctions do not phase Beijing. continue reading →
Sigrun Abels
In conversation with Sigrun Abels, one immediately senses her fascination for the Chinese language and culture. She quickly talks about the challenge of always developing an attitude towards China and its politics. “I am very interested in a balanced image of China,” says the sinologist. She neither belongs to the group of “China supporters”, nor […] continue reading →