Events

China Cursus 2025

What did the sudden influx of international users mean for Xiaohongshu’s (RedNote) governance, and what can the platform tell us about societal debates within China? What is the impact of Xiaohongshu in China and around the world? These topics were discussed during this month’s China Knowledge Network Knowledge Session by Dr. Qian Huang and Dr. Carwyn Morris.

The focus of this session will be the rule of law in China, with particular attention to legal disputes in which citizens challenge government entities. Our guest speaker, Ms. Qiao Congrui, will share insights into cases involving labour actions, land disputes, and administrative petitions. After providing a brief overview of the historical roots of China's legal system, Ms. Qiao will argue there’s a paradox of government accountability within China’s singular political structure. She will highlight thought-provoking trends, such as the increasing percentage of court rulings favouring plaintiffs against the government: from just 6% in 2010 to 25% by 2019. About the Guest Speaker Ms. Qiao Congrui is the founder and director of Law4Sustainability and a renowned lecturer at Utrecht University, the University of Amsterdam (UvA), and Nankai University. With her extensive knowledge and experience, Ms. Qiao will provide profound insights into the dynamics of the rule of law in China.

This CKN Knowledge Session is the second of a two-part series about China and the West’s mutual knowledge and understanding. These sessions are two sides of the same coin. This first part (which was held 24 September) featured PhD candidate Vincent Brussee of Leiden University, who explored the challenges for those who try to gain an accurate understanding of China – as China closes off ever more databases and other sources of information to the outside public. Watch Brussee’s presentation here. During this second instalment, Prof. Dr. Reza Hasmath will talk about this challenge when he presents findings from the Chinese Citizens’ Global Perception Survey. This survey tries to answer questions such as: how does China see the world in 2024? How does the Chinese public view global actors and pressing issues of international concern? Hasmath’s presentation will consider how state and non-state actors influence public opinion within China and what this means for China-Europe relations moving forward.

Ambtenaren zijn verantwoordelijk voor het vormgeven van het Nederlandse beleid ten aanzien van China, maar dit brengt ook complexe uitdagingen met zich mee. Hoe vinden we de juiste balans in onze China-notitie en hoe brengen we deze in de praktijk? De sessie is niet bedoeld om het huidige China-beleid en de notitie te evalueren, maar om dieper in te gaan op de beleidsruimtes binnen de China notitie. Het kerndilemma van de sessie gaat over de balans tussen securitisatie en engageren.

The report examines three different areas: 1. Working conditions for Dutch journalists in China. 2. China’s influence and interference in Dutch-language media. 3. China’s influence and interference in Chinese-language media in the Netherlands. Researchers Bouwers and Kamerling interviewed dozens of (former) Dutch correspondents, news editors, and employees of Chinese-language media in the Netherlands about the extent to which they experience China’s attempts to influence and interfere in their work.

This CKN Knowledge Session is the first of a two part series about China and the West’s mutual knowledge and understanding. This first part delves into a critical topic that reveals the challenges the outside world faces in gaining an accurate understanding of China. The central question we'll explore is: If the image of China is incomplete or inaccurate, is it still possible to formulate sound China policy?

China in Africa - Confronting Complexity This themed session focuses on China in Africa, but the scope is broader. This session is intended as a context-setting meeting, providing a basis for policy-making in a later discussion. China's approach to Africa—and Africa’s response combined with Africa’s increasing political agency in its relationship with Europe (more broadly: the West)—says much about the shifting dynamics in the world. It is therefore essential to address the theme of ‘China in Africa’ in a broader context, one that centers on this complexity and encourages us to honestly reflect. The world is in flux. Russia and China are increasingly challenging Western approaches in other parts of the world, sometimes successfully in Africa. Meanwhile, the Netherlands is significantly cutting its development aid budget.

Voor: Medewerkers van het Rijk, provincies en gemeenten die in hun werk te maken hebben met China

The China Knowledge Network hosted an insightful discussion led by esteemed speakers Prof.dr. Christian Goebel of University of Vienna and Leiden University’s Ass.prof.dr. Carwyn Morris.

“To understand Xi Jinping Thought on foreign policy, we need to address three key questions: What are Xi’s ambitions for China globally? How does he see China’s place in the world? What guidelines has he set for Chinese foreign policy?”

Presentation by Frank Pieke and Bert Hofman about their research report Dealing with Decoupling from China: Business strategies in a changing world