At the CHERN conference ‘China-Europe: Reconnecting in an Era of Competition and Rivalry?’, held at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam on 7 and 8 September 2023, the ReConnect China consortium participated in the roundtable ‘Horizon Europe Consortia knowledge networks on China’. ‘ReConnect China’ was represented by Astrid Pepermans and Bart Dessein.
“Why does an adviser have the duty to remonstrate with his ruler? Because he exhausts his loyalty and gives [him] his sincerity. In the Analects it is said: ‘If one loves someone, could one refrain from cheering [him] on? If one is loyal to someone, could one refrain from teaching [him]?’” (Discussion in the White Tiger Hall (Baihutong 白虎通), Vol.4: Remonstrance (Jianzheng 諫諍).1 This appeal that dates back to the beginning of the Common Era appears to still have its value in shaping great power relations in the contemporary era.
Stay tuned with us by reading more: Reconnect China Policy Brief 1 ‘Remonstrating,’ or the Art of Forging Relations (Bart Dessein & Jasper Roctus)
CHERN – China in Europe Research Network is a COST-funded European research and innovation network dedicated to China. It aims to develop an interdisciplinary, cross-regional and cross-sectoral understanding of the variation in Chinese engagements across Europe and their different social, economic, political and geopolitical implications from a pan-European perspective and includes around 250 researchers from more than 40 countries (EU MS and EU third countries).
From May 11-12, the people behind CHERN organise a training school for members in Brussel
Prof. dr. Bart Dessein, scientific co-ordinator of the ‘ReConnect China’ consortium, will participate in this training school by taking part in the moderated discussion on ‘Upgrading independent knowledge on China’ (on May 11 from 17:00-18:30).
Abstract:
The European Commission has become an active advocate of upgrading independent knowledge on China in Europe. Prof. Dr. Bart Dessein is Coordinator of the Horizon Europe Project “ReConnect China”. As one of the first two Horizon Europe projects focusing explicitly on the above stated goal of the European Commission, Prof. Dessein will give a short presentation of the mission for his consortium and share an outlook of the expected outputs. Gerhard Stahl (former high-level EU official) will comment on the input and mirror it against the experience he made with the status of knowledge on China, both demand and supply side, in the European institutions. After initial questions by the moderator, the floor will be opened to questions and a broader discussion, on the issue of independent knowledge on China.
