MERICS China Podcast

Die Fusion von Militär und Zivilem (junmin ronghe), Englisch Military Civil Fusion, ist eine zentrale Strategie der Kommunistischen Partei Chinas. Die Führung unter Staats- und Parteichef Xi Jinping fördert gezielt die Integration von Unternehmen, Universitäten und Forschungseinrichtungen mit Chinas Militär. Das Ziel: Chinas Volksbefreiungsarmee, die PLA, schlagkräftiger zu machen. 

China ist gleichzeitig ein wichtiger wissenschaftl...

In these uncertain times of historic geopolitical tensions, it is all the more important to understand the nature and elements of the relationship of two of the world’s most influential powers: China and Russia.

Three researchers that investigate the relationship of these two countries join Johannes Heller-John in this episode: Minna Ålander, Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of In...

China im Jahr 2026 – diskutiert in 26 Minuten: In dieser Folge des deutschsprachigen MERICS-Podcasts sprechen Bernhard Bartsch, Mikko Huotari und Claudia Wessling über China auf der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz, bei der auch MERICS als Mitorganisator des „China Tracks“ vertreten war. Sie diskutieren auch über die bevorstehende Reise von Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz nach China, bei der einige herausfordernde Themen auf der Agenda s...

Satellite internet has attracted increased attention in the last years and the possibility for its civilian as well as miliary use makes it a so called “dual use” technology. Antonia Hmaidi and Altynay Junusova, Senior Analyst and Analyst in the Science, Technology and Innovation Program at MERICS, join Johannes Heller-John to talk about China in the race for satellite internet, its competition with the US and what it will take for...

Europe has found itself between a rock and a hard place in the last couple of months – between China leveraging export controls on rare earth elements and the US stating its desire to incorporate Greenland. Where does this leave the EU’s China policy? Do we continue to de-risk or do we reconnect with China to hedge in this great power confrontation? Grzegorz Stec, Senior Analyst and Head of the MERICS Brussels Office, joins Johanne...

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 Univers...

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 Universi...

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 Soci...

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 Ch...

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 B...

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...

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 Zentralkomite...

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 Repo...

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 ...

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 co...

„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.

„V...

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 ...