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In this update: - CHERN Relaunch & Recordings
- CHERN Publications & Collaborations
- CHERN Working Group Updates & Leadership Changes
- Upcoming Activities – Autumn & Winter 2025
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CHERN Summer Update 2025
Welcome to the CHERN Summer Update! As we have transitioned into a standalone network, we are excited to share recent developments, publications, podcasts, and upcoming activities in the CHERN community that continue to shape the dialogue on China-Europe relations. We hope you enjoy reading and we wish you a relaxing summer break. CHERN Steering Group
Ágnes Szunomár – WG1 leader Tim Rühlig – WG2 leader Imogen Liu & Johannes Petry – WG3 co-leaders Ágota Révész – WG4 leader Martina Bofulin – WG5 leader Nick Jepson – WG6 leader Nana de Graaff – CHERN Chair Jeffrey Henderson – CHERN Vice Chair Giles Mohan – Strategy and Resource Manager Jelena Gledić – Communication Manager Alexandra Filius – Network Manager |
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Relaunch Event & Recordings China-Europe Relations in a Polarising World: What Now for Research, Policy and Action?
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The CHERN online relaunch event, "China-Europe Relations in a Polarising World: What Now for Research, Policy and Action?", marked the transition of CHERN from a COST-funded initiative into an independent network. The event reflected on CHERN’s five years of achievements, explored its future role in China–Europe research, and introduced a new publication and networking structure to support ongoing collaboration.
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New Publication Narrating China and Europe in Uncertain Times
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We are proud to announce the release of our edited volume, Narrating China and Europe in Uncertain Times. This book, developed within CHERN WG 4 (Public Diplomacy and Knowledge Production) and edited by Ágota Révész, Duncan Freeman, Magnus Feldmann and Steven Langendonk, explores how narratives influence the evolving relationship between Europe and China. It challenges state-centric views and highlights the social dimensions of storytelling in foreign policy, economics, and media.
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Our collaboration with the ReConnect China Horizon Europe Research Consortium has produced several insightful episodes: - Chinese EVs in Europe: Dr. Ágnes Szunomár explores Chinese EV battery investments in Central and Eastern Europe.
- Digital Silk Road to Switzerland: Dr. Lena Kaufmann examines the material impacts of Chinese digital infrastructure.
- Sino-Serbian “Ironclad Friendship”: Jelena Gledić analyzes China’s presence on the borders of the EU.
These podcasts are part of our shared effort to foster dialogue and deepen understanding of China’s evolving role in Europe and beyond. All episodes are available on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcast.
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COSMOlab and CHERN
Our collaboration with the newly established COSMOlab (an initiative of China Knowledge Network, led by Marc Moquette) has produced two thought provoking dialogues with CHERN experts on the complexity of Europe’s relations with China: Multicurrency Mercantilism The global monetary landscape is shifting. Countries are diversifying trade settlements away from the US dollar, creating a more multipolar financial order. While this fosters economic autonomy, it also risks fragmentation and instability. In this talk CHERN member and WG3 co-leader Johannes Petry, CHERN member Paolo Balmas, and Kathleen Tyson, discuss the intricacies of navigating this complex transformation, balancing sovereignty with collaboration to ensure global resilience and equity. The Unicorn, the Dragon and the Storyteller Global narratives shape not only how nations see each other but also how they act. As fear deepens and fragmentation grows, critical opportunities for cooperation risk being lost. From climate policy to technology, shared global challenges demand a shift from competitive storytelling to epistemic diplomacy. In this talk, WG 4 leader Ágota Révész, and CHERN members Duncan Freeman and Steven Langendonk discuss how understanding, listening, and reframing narratives offer a path forward.
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CHERN members Adam Dixon and Jeff Henderson explore the intricate relationship between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and China’s economic development. They discuss the CCP’s influence on business operations, the historical impact of the Great Leap Forward, Deng Xiaoping’s market reforms, and Xi Jinping’s leadership. They also examine China’s global investments, competition within its economy, and the geopolitical tensions shaping trade relations between China, Europe, and the West.
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Working Group Updates & Leadership Changes
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WG1 on Strategic investment and Infrastructure Development: Restructured with 7 Subgroups
WG1 has been restructured to better reflect emerging research priorities. Members of this WG can now choose to join one or several of the seven subgroups (SGs) that closer fits their research interests from Chinese involvement in the European EV industry and (European) ports, to regional sustainable energy development, Robotic technologies & smart infrastructure, Rivalries around Chinese infrastructure-building activities, corridor countries, and China-Europe Sports Relations.
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WG3 on Finance and Money: Leadership Transition
A warm thank you to Nick Jepson and Anna Lupina-Wegener for their leadership during the past 5 years. We welcome Imogen Liu (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) and Johannes Petry (Goethe University, Frankfurt) as new co-leaders of WG3.
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WG5 on Labour and migration: New Leadership
We thank Pal Nyiri for the leadership of WG5 during the COST Action and we are grateful that Martina Bofulin took over as his successor. In addition, we welcome Elena Barabantseva (Manchester University) as co-leader of this WG.
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New WG6 on Energy: transition, extraction and resources
The new WG, led by former WG3 leader Nick Jepson explores the evolving dynamics of Europe-China relations in the context of global energy transition, focusing on how their cooperation and competition shape decarbonization efforts, trade, security, and ecological outcomes. From local conflicts over critical mineral extraction to global climate finance and governance, the group examines how these interactions influence the future of the global energy system and the prospects for avoiding catastrophic climate change.
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New role
Finally, we are very pleased to have welcomed Giles Mohan (Open University, UK) on the CHERN Steering Group as our dedicated: Strategy and Resource Manager.
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Upcoming Activities – Autumn & Winter 2025
- WG1: Several sub-group activities during September-October (including, for example, SG2, SG4, SG5). Join the SGs to receive updates on these events!
- WG2: Policy makers targeted webinars + CHERN-wide online panel series on Russia-China-Europe relations
- WG4: Book launch Publication: Narrating China and Europe in Uncertain Times + CHERN-wide media briefings
- WG5: CHERN-wide webinar/online training on doing research in China
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