Welcome to my website!

I am the Senior Analyst for Asia/Global China at the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS). My research focuses on China's foreign, economic and technology policy, EU-China relations, economic security, German-China policy, and Hong Kong affairs. I am also working on the politicization of technical standard-setting and China's role as a security actor in the Pacific and beyond.

Before joining the EUISS, I worked at the European Commission for DG I.D.E.A., the in-house advisor hub of President Ursula von der Leyen, with a focus on China's technology policy. Previously, I was a Senior Research Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and a Research Fellow at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI).

I am the founder of the Digital Power China (DPC) research consortium that brings together European engineers, computer scientists as well as China scholars and economists. I am also chairing the Working Group on "high technology and innovation" of the China in Europe Research Network's (CHERN), an EU Cost Action. And I am a participant of the European Think-tank Network on China (ETNC), which I coordinated in 2018.

Among my publications is the monograph "China's Foreign Policy Contradictions" which appeared in 2022 with Oxford University Press.

Thanks a lot for your interest in my work. You can also find and follow me on Bluesky and X.

News:

EEAS Ambassadors' Conference: What Future Relationship with China: Cooperation, Competition, or Confrontation?

Once a year, the European External Action Service (EEAS) calls all EU Ambassadors and Heads of Delegation to a one-week meeting to Brussels. This year, I participated in the discussion on China.

New online commentary: A new transatlantic trade and tech agenda: economic security standards can address the EU’s and Washington’s concerns about China

Strengthening technological resilience has become a core objective of the US and the EU. The EU’s proposal for shared economic security standards with like-minded partners offers a good starting point.

Out now: Curbing China's legacy chip clout - Reevaluating EU strategy

The EU is increasingly concerned that it could face a massive overreliance on legacy chips from China. This could constitute another critical dependency. How can the EU effectively de-risk? Find out in two new publications.

New online commentary: Trade, Tech and Taiwan: Crafting a transatlantic China agenda

The incoming Trump team is convinced that the EU’s China policy is too slow and indecisive. But the EU has a chance to exert influence if it moves swiftly to make a ‘China pitch’ focused on ‘three Ts’: trade, tech and Taiwan.

Participation in the EU-India Strategic Dialogue

On 21-22 October, the European Union Institute for Security Studies organized the 2024 EU-India Strategic Dialogue in Delhi in collaboration with the Ananta Aspen Centre and Institut Montaigne. I had the honor to participate.

Personal news: I join the EUISS

I am proud, honored and happy to share the news that I joined the European Union Institute for Security Studies on 15 September.

Flagship activities:

Monograph: China's Foreign Policy Contradictions

My book "China's Foreign Policy Contradictions" is published by Oxford University Press! Read the blurb and join one of the book launches!

Digital Power China

Digital Power China (DPC) is a European research consortium consisting of engineers, computer scienists, China scholars and economists tracking and analyzing China's digital tech development and its implications for Europe.

Testimony to the US-China Economic Security Review Commission of the US Congress

On 15 June 2023, I have had the honor to testify to the US-China Economic Security Review Commission of the US Congress. I spoke about transatlantic cooperation to meet China's growing influence on technical standardization.

Read my report on Chinese tech standardization: "The Shape of Things to Come: The Race to Control Technical Standardisation" (2021) jointly published by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China & The Swedish Institute of International Affairs

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, partnering with the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, published my comprehensive study "The Shape of Things to Come: The Race to Control Technical Standardisation".

Expert hearing at the German parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on technical standardization

In June 2021, I have testified as an expert to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German parliament (Bundestag) discussing China's technical standardization power.