Since Xi Jinping's rise to power, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been undergoing extensive reforms. From increasing defense spending, to investing in new technological capabilities and learning from Russia's war in Ukraine, China has been set on transforming its military into a top-tier force. In this episode, Meia Nouwens discusses China's road to military modernization under Xi Jinping as China's President as well as the chairman of the Central Military Commission.

This month's guest:Meia Nouwens is a Senior Fellow for Chinese Security and Defence Policy at IISS, specializing in China’s defence industry, military innovation, and regional strategic affairs. She leads research on China’s Digital Silk Road and previously co-led the China Security Project with MERICS. Before joining IISS, she worked for the European External Action Service in Taipei and New Zealand, as well as in private-sector consulting on foreign policy and defence. She holds degrees in international relations from Macquarie University and Leiden University, and an MPhil in modern Chinese studies from Oxford and Peking University.

See notes:

• Three Dates, Three Windows, and All of DOTMLPF-P
• China’s Military Modernisation: Recent Trends - 2024
• DOD Report Details Chinese Efforts to Build Military Power
• China’s Modernizing Military | Council on Foreign Relations

In November 2024, a tragic roof collapse at Novi Sad’s train station claimed 15 lives and ignited nationwide protests in Serbia. But what really happened? Who bears responsibility? And how do Chinese firms and their involvement in the station's reconstruction fit into the bigger picture? In this episode, we explore the fallout of this disaster, its impact on Serbia’s politics, and the potential effects on Sino-Serbian relations with expert insight from Stefan Vladisavljev.

This month's guest:

Stefan Vladisavljev holds program director position at Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society since April of 2024. Prior to that, Stefan was BFPE program coordinator and assistant. He is also part of the team behind Belgrade Security Forum. As a part of the program team, Stefan is responsible for program planning, speaker selection and analytical writing. During his engagement in BFPE, so far, he is mostly dealing with the topics in the field of international relations and security and foreign policy. His main expertise is cooperation between actors in the field of international relations, and foreign actors influence, with the focus on cooperation between Western Balkans countries and China. Stefan is also a CHOICE Fellow for the Western Balkan region.

See notes:

Serbia and China: What Does the “Shared Future” Hold for “Steel Friends”?⁠⁠

Chinese Influence in Serbia⁠

⁠“Steel Friendship” — Forging of the Perception of China by the Serbian Political Elite⁠

⁠FACILITATING KLEPTOCRACY: THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHINA’S CORROSIVE CAPITAL IN SERBIA⁠

⁠China’s 'Digital Silk Road' Enters the Western Balkans

The results of the 2024 US presidential election are set to shape the future of global politics, with potentially far-reaching effects on the balance of power, international relations, and economic strategies. How do key players like China perceive this pivotal moment, and what might a second Trump term mean for the evolving dynamics between the US, China, and Russia? Dive into this episode for an in-depth look at these critical developments and their implications.

This month's guests:

• Vivian Wu - CEO & Founder of Dasheng Media
• Maria Repnikova - Scholar of China political communication, Associate Professor at Georgia State University

See notes:

• What Does Trump’s Election Victory Mean for Russia?
• What Trump’s Win Means for U.S. Foreign Policy
• What does Trump’s return mean for America’s relations with Russia?
• As the U.S. Votes, China Is Watching
• Dasheng Media

In recent years, countries like Russia, Iran and China have started to ramp up their efforts to influence public opinion, interfere in democratic process, and undermine democratic regimes. Influence operations, including propaganda, disinformation, and psychological warfare have become one of the key avenues through which powers aim to exert influence. Taiwan, which is under continuous and growing pressures from China, has been at the forefront of developing strategies to increase population's resilience and effectively combat threats stemming from malign influence operations. So what is the current state of Taiwan's information ecosystem and what can the EU learn from Taiwan? And are there any areas where the EU and the US could cooperate with Taiwan? This and more will be discussed in this new episode of Voice for CHOICE, with a special guest, Puma Shen.

This month's guest

• Puma Shen, Legislator in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, Founder of Doublethink Lab and Kuma Academy

See notes

• Testimony for the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission Taiwan’s Experience and Response to China’s Influence and Interference
• China Index
• Narrative Intelligence: Detecting Chinese and Russian Information Operations to Disrupt NATO Unity

• Influence Campaigns from Iran, China, Russia Ramping up Ahead of Elections, Microsoft Finds
• The Chinese Communist Party’s Political Warfare Directed Against Taiwan: Overview and Analysis
• An analysis on the impact of false information on Taiwanese voters

Despite growing interest in China and its global role, women analysts in Europe face several challenges, including limited access to professional networks, underrepresentation, and a lack of visibility. WiCH is a proactive response to these challenges, aiming to build a pan-European community where women in China studies can thrive. By fostering connections, providing mentorship, and amplifying the contributions of women, the initiative seeks to address gender imbalance and ensure diverse perspectives in China-related research and policy discussions.

This month's guest

• Ivana Karásková, China Team Lead at Association for International Affairs (AMO)

Show notes

• Introducing WiCH: Empowering Women in China Studies Across Europe
• NüVoices
• NüVoices Won’t Let Beijing Silence Women

Amidst the broader geopolitical tensions, the EU-China relations have seen significant changes. De-risking, economic security and strategic autonomy are at the forefront of such changes, with electric vehicle and raw material supply chains driving the EU’s concerns. As the EU continues down the de-risking path, we discuss the anti-subsidy probe into made-in-China electric vehicles and the Critical Raw Materials Act, with a special focus on their implications for the CEE region. This month's guest

• Dominika Remžová, China Analyst at Association for International Affairs (AMO)

Show notes

• From Zero to Hero? Chinese Investment in Electric Vehicle Supply Chains in the Visegrád Four
• “WIN SOME, LOSE SOME”: China's Involvement in the Extractive and Raw Materials Industries in the Western Balkans

• Balancing Act: Managing European Dependencies on China for Climate Technologies
• US and Europe: 2 Different Approaches to Restricting Chinese EVs
• Ain’t No Duty High Enough
• Reverse Dependency: Making Europe's Digital Technological Strenghts Indispensable to China

North Korean regime has increasingly benefited from deepening cooperation with Russia, a development not fully welcomed by its traditional ally, China. North Korea has supplied the Russian Federation with munitions and other military equipment in exchange for food, raw materials, and components for weapons manufacturing. This growing partnership enables North Korea to circumvent international sanctions, sustain its regime, and bolster its military capabilities, further complicating regional and global security dynamics.

This month's guest

• Dr. Niklas Swanström, Director of the Institute for Security and Development Policy

Show notes

• EU-Taiwan Semiconductor Supply Chain: Resilience amid the Digital and Green Transition

• China as a Mediator in North Korea: Facilitating Dialogues or Mediating Conflicts?

• Why Taiwan Matters to Europe

• EU-Japan-Taiwan Cooperation: Building a Blue Supply Chain
  

The European Union's engagement in the Indo-Pacific has grown significantly in recent years, driven by the region's strategic importance and economic dynamism. The EU aims to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific through enhanced cooperation with regional partners like Japan, India, and ASEAN. Moreover, it has become increasingly clear that Europe and Asia are not separate theatres but are deeply intertwined.

This month's guest

• Abigaël Vasselier, Head of Program Foreign Relations at MERICS.

Show notes

• China-Russia alignment: a threat to Europe's security

• Navigating Taiwan relations in 2024: Practical considerations for European policy makers

• Profiling relations of European countries with China