Past Events

Annual General Meeting Romandie Chapter

In our sixth and last conversation of this series, Markus HERRMANN, Co-Founder and Managing Director, China Macro Group (CMG); (Advisory) Board Member stars and SCCC, Zurich, will be talking to FU Cong, Ambassador and Head of the Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union, Brussels. In 2019, the EU laid out its revised policy stance vis-à-vis China, making clear that for the Union henceforth, China would be simultaneously a cooperation partner, an economic competitor and a systemic rival “promoting alternative models of governance”. Since then, and further aggravated by how China’s position in the Ukraine war and the Zero Covid policy have been perceived in Europe, relations between Beijing and European capitals have become more complicated indeed. In the economic realms, the exploration of a comprehensive agreement on investment (CAI) between China and the EU was stalled after the European Council adopted sanctions against Chinese individuals and entities in Xinjiang on grounds of human rights violations, to which Chinese government retaliated resolutely. Against this backdrop, it is noteworthy that in his first press conference in March and recent trip to Europe as China’s new State Councilor and Foreign Minister, Qin Gang struck a notably conciliatory tone. What are the current dynamics in the EU-China relations? What does Beijing think about the EU’s aspirations for “de-risking” and “strategic autonomy”? Is “green” tech the next frontier of competition? Kindly note: All webinars of this series are held under Chatham House Rules and will not be recorded.

Meet members in person again at the AGM 2023!

In our fifth conversation of this series, Markus HERRMANN, Co-Founder and Managing Director, China Macro Group (CMG); (Advisory) Board Member stars and SCCC, Zurich, will be talking to JIA Qingguo, Member, Standing Committee of the 11th National Committee of the CPPCC (2008-2013); Member, Standing Committee of the Central Committee of China Democratic League; Former Dean, School of International Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China. Under Deng Xiaoping, Beijing adhered to the maxim to “hide your strength and bide your time” in foreign affairs, seeking to ensure an international environment conducive to its own development with less active involvement in global politics. First in 2016 in a study session and then in 2018 in a foreign affairs working meeting, Xi laid out his new direction for China’s role in global affairs to “lead the reform of global governance” (引领全球治理体系改革). Reflective of this growing sense of global responsibility and clout, China has been (co-)driving a number of initiatives to reshape the existing US-led international order towards a world order conceived of as a “community with a shared future for mankind” (人类命运共同体), among them the BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), or the latest three initiatives of the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GSI). How does Beijing understand the current world order and multipolarity? What roles and options are there for China in a world where it sees a “rising East and a declining West”? How, and with whom does it intend to reshape post-1945 institutions? And what could this mean for global cooperation and economic globalization? Beyond the key global trading blocs, how does China look at ASEAN, the Middle East, India or Africa? Kindly note: All webinars of this series are held under Chatham House Rules and will not be recorded.

The China-Switzerland Stock Connect Program has so far witnessed 13 Chinese companies successfully listing global depository receipts (GDRs) on SIX Swiss Exchange.