Author

Finn Mayer-Kuckuk

Finn Mayer-Kuckuk Published: November 12th, 2023

Editorial 13.11.2023

One piece of positive news: They are talking to each other again. US President Joe Biden will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.Necessities are forcing both heads of state to meet. Joe Biden already has two crisis regions with Ukraine and Palestine and welcomes anything that somewhat reduces the pressure. Conversely, Xi is […]

Finn Mayer-Kuckuk Published: November 9th, 2023

Editorial 10.11.2023

The US restrictions on exports of high-power microchips to China have dealt a severe blow to the country’s technology sector. They have noticeably slowed down development. The need for success stories like this is correspondingly high: Tsinghua researchers developed a chip faster than even the best US model. China likes to hear that.But on closer […]

Finn Mayer-Kuckuk Published: November 8th, 2023

Editorial 09.11.2023

It almost seems like a trend of moving away from the new Silk Road. The Philippines are rejecting China’s loans and are opting to borrow money from Japan instead. President Ferdinand Marcos also invites the USA to expand military bases in their country. This marks a clear departure from the China policy of his predecessor. […]

Finn Mayer-Kuckuk Published: November 7th, 2023

German machines in China’s nuclear program

Products made by German companies DMG Mori, OPS-Ingersoll and Heidenhain may have found their way into a research facility of the Chinese nuclear program. A report by the Japanese business newspaper Nikkei suggests this after analyzing Internet sources. The Nikkei reporters spent almost a whole year on this investigation.These three cases show how tough it […]

Finn Mayer-Kuckuk Published: November 5th, 2023

Editorial 06.11.2023

Felix Lee’s analysis two weeks ago stirred up a hornet’s nest: Despite the public consensus that more China expertise is required, the German government and foundations continue to scale back their programs.He now discusses the matter with Christian Straube, responsible for China at Stiftung Mercator. Straube stresses that the foundation continues to uphold its commitment, […]

Finn Mayer-Kuckuk Published: October 31st, 2023

National Finance Conference ends in Beijing

The National Financial Work Conference (中央金融工作会议) concluded in Beijing on Tuesday. The party’s tone-setting conference is held only about once every five years and behind closed doors; results emerge only gradually. However, it follows the establishment of two new bodies in the spring:The goal of this restructuring is to bundle control over the financial system […]

Finn Mayer-Kuckuk Published: October 31st, 2023

Editorial 01.11.2023

It has long been disputed whether China systematically exports its authoritarian development model. Now, there are clear examples that prove that this is indeed happening.On the occasion of the current Tanzania visit by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Marcel Grzanna reports about a school for party officials from Eastern and Southern Africa. A sneak peek of […]

Finn Mayer-Kuckuk Published: October 29th, 2023

Citizens mourn Li Keqiang

The passing of Chinese ex-premier Li Keqiang has sparked nationwide mourning. People gathered in his hometown in the province of Anhui and its capital, Hefei; some placed flowers. Li spent his teenage years living here. In other cities, too, citizens placed flowers under Li’s picture. In Beijing, however, there were no reports of gatherings in […]

Finn Mayer-Kuckuk Published: October 27th, 2023

Top leadership deaths trigger tensions

The death of a well-known top cadre is always an occasion for heightened attention in China. Historical precedents have created an association between funeral ceremonies for a top politician and protests on his or her behalf. This is especially true when the deceased stands for a different political direction than the current leadership.“Looking at China’s […]

Finn Mayer-Kuckuk Published: October 27th, 2023

Editorial Alert Li

Li Keqiang passed away. According to the state news agency Xinhua, he succumbed to a heart attack overnight from Thursday to Friday. He was 68 years old.China’s Premier from 2013 to 2023 was considered a sober counterpart to Xi Jinping. The Party had probably initially placed him alongside the power-hungry Xi as a balance. Li […]