The speakers
Opening Session
Bart Dessein
Bart Dessein is Professor of Chinese Studies at Ghent University and a leading scholar of Chinese political thought, philosophy, and governance. His research focuses on the historical and ideological foundations of Chinese statecraft and contemporary Chinese politics. He has been actively involved in European research networks on China, including the ReConnect China project.
Victor De Decker
Victor De Decker is a Research Fellow at the Egmont Institute. His work focuses on China’s foreign policy, EU–China relations, and international security issues. He regularly contributes policy analysis on geopolitical developments affecting Europe and Asia.
Keynote Session
Nicoletta Pusterla
Nicoletta Pusterla is Head of the China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Mongolia Division at the European External Action Service (EEAS). She has extensive experience in EU diplomacy and external relations, with a particular focus on East Asia. Her work centres on shaping the European Union’s policy towards China and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
Joseph Liow Chinyong
Joseph Liow is Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. An internationally recognised scholar of Asian geopolitics and security, his research covers China, Southeast Asia, and great-power competition in the Indo-Pacific. He is a frequent commentator on regional security and international affairs.
Session A: China’s Development Path
Françoise Nicolas
Françoise Nicolas is Senior advisor, at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI). Her expertise lies in Asian economies, international trade, and economic integration, with a particular focus on China and East Asia. She has published extensively on economic reforms and regional economic cooperation.
Alexander Hoeckle
Françoise Nicolas is Senior advisor, at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI). Her expertise lies in Asian economies, international trade, and economic integration, with a particular focus on China and East Asia. She has published extensively on economic reforms and regional economic cooperation.
Miguel Otero Iglesias
Miguel Otero Iglesias is Senior Fellow at the Elcano Royal Institute and Professor at IE University. His research focuses on international political economy, monetary affairs, European integration, and China’s role in the global economy. He regularly advises policymakers and contributes to debates on Europe’s economic strategy.
John Seaman (Moderator)
John Seaman is a Research Fellow at IFRI and Coordinator of the Centre for Asian Studies. His work focuses on China’s international relations, energy security, strategic resources, and technological competition. He has played a leading role in several major European research projects on China.
Session B: Domestic Policy and Society in China
Christian Göbel
Christian Göbel is Professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Vienna. His research examines governance, social change, local politics, and state–society relations in contemporary China. He is widely recognised for his work on political participation and social stability in China.
Marcin Jacoby
Marcin Jacoby is Professor at SWPS University in Poland and a specialist in Chinese culture, society, and communication. His research explores contemporary Chinese identity, public discourse, and social transformations. He is also well known as a commentator and author on China-related issues.
Daria Impiombato
Daria Impiombato is Senior Analyst at MERICS (Mercator Institute for China Studies). Her research focuses on Chinese domestic politics, social policy, digital governance, and human rights. She frequently publishes analyses on developments within Chinese society and governance structures.
Urmas Hõbepappel (Moderator)
Urmas Hõbepappel is an Analyst at the University of Tartu and a specialist in China-related political and societal developments. His work focuses on contemporary Chinese governance, public opinion, and EU–China relations. He regularly contributes to policy discussions in Estonia and Europe.
Plenary Panel: China’s Foreign Policy
Una Aleksandra Bērziņa-Čerenkova
Una Aleksandra Bērziņa-Čerenkova is Head of the China Studies Centre at Riga Stradiņš University and Director of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs. She is one of the Baltic region’s leading China experts, specialising in Chinese foreign policy, strategic communication, and EU–China relations. Her work frequently addresses China’s role in global governance and regional security.
Richard Turcsányi
Richard Turcsányi is Assistant Professor at Palacký University Olomouc and a prominent scholar of Central European perspectives on China. His research focuses on China’s foreign policy, public perceptions of China, and international relations in East Asia. He has led several comparative projects on European attitudes towards China.
Mario Esteban
Mario Esteban is Senior Fellow at the Elcano Royal Institute and Professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid. His research concentrates on Chinese foreign policy, EU–China relations, and East Asian geopolitics. He is a frequent advisor to Spanish and European institutions on China-related issues.
Agnieszka Nitza-Makowska (Moderator)
Agnieszka Nitza-Makowska is Researcher at the University of Tartu and Assistant Professor at Collegium Civitas. Her research focuses on international relations, Chinese foreign policy, and political developments in East Asia. She has extensive experience analysing China’s growing international influence.
Session A: China in Africa and the EU Dimension
Raoul Bunskoek
Raoul Bunskoek is Head of the China Centre at the Clingendael Institute. His work focuses on China’s global engagement, strategic competition, and implications for European foreign policy. He regularly contributes policy analysis on China’s role in emerging regions and global governance.
Joshua Eisenman
Joshua Eisenman is Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council and Professor at the University of Notre Dame. He is a leading expert on China–Africa relations, Chinese foreign policy, and international development. His publications have significantly shaped scholarly understanding of China’s engagement in Africa.
Sara Van Hoeymissen
Sara Van Hoeymissen is Lecturer at the Royal Military Academy in Belgium. Her research focuses on China’s foreign relations, development cooperation, and international security issues. She has particular expertise in China’s interactions with developing regions and multilateral institutions.
Huanyu Zhao (Moderator)
Huanyu Zhao is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Ghent University. Her research explores Chinese foreign policy, international political economy, and China–Europe relations. She contributes to several European research initiatives examining China’s global role.
Session B: China in the Arctic
Patrik Andersson
Patrik Andersson is an Analyst at the Swedish National China Centre. His research focuses on China’s foreign policy, strategic interests in the Arctic, and Nordic–China relations. He regularly provides analysis to policymakers on China’s activities in Northern Europe and the Arctic region.
Toomas Lukk
Toomas Lukk is Special Envoy for the Arctic at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia. He has extensive diplomatic experience and works on Arctic governance, regional cooperation, and security issues. His work connects Arctic developments with broader European foreign policy priorities.
Ahad Hadian
Ahad Hadian is a Researcher at Nord University Business School. His research focuses on China’s engagement in the Arctic, international political economy, and governance of northern regions. He examines how emerging geopolitical and economic interests shape Arctic cooperation and competition.
Lavinia Klarhoefer (Moderator)
Lavinia Klarhoefer is Policy Advisor at Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Europe. Her work focuses on European foreign policy, China, and geopolitical developments in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions. She contributes to policy discussions on strategic competition and international governance.
Final Plenary Session
Beatrice Gallelli
Beatrice Gallelli is a Senior Researcher at the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) and a researcher at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Her research focuses on contemporary Chinese politics, society, and domestic governance. She is widely recognised for her work on Chinese political discourse, social change, and EU–China relations.
Andrea Gilli
Andrea Gilli is Senior Researcher at the NATO Defense College and Lecturer at the University of St Andrews. His expertise covers defence innovation, military technology, security studies, and strategic competition among major powers. He is a leading voice on the implications of emerging technologies for international security.
Carmen Amado Mendes (Moderator)
Carmen Amado Mendes is Professor at the University of Coimbra and President of the Macao Scientific and Cultural Centre in Lisbon. She is a distinguished scholar of China–Europe relations, Chinese foreign policy, and Lusophone Asia. Her work bridges academic research and policy engagement on China’s global role.
