China presents the paradox of being a communist country that has embraced a form of capitalism, or “socialism with Chinese characteristics,” as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) describes it. Indeed, the largest capitalist actor in China is the Communist Party itself. How does capitalism in China work? How is the Communist Party connected to private business within the country? What is the “sticks and carrots” system? How does this system affect economic growth and efficiency in China? ...

Chinese universities have ascended to the top of global rankings. Primary education in the country is universal. In just over a decade, China’s higher education enrollment rate surged from 29% in 2012, when Xi Jinping came to power, to 60.8% in 2025. What lies behind this dramatic shift toward hyper-education? To what extent has education contributed to China’s economic success? Is there a darker side to this story? Is education truly universal? What about ethnic minorities? And how is all t...

On the night of June 3rd to the early hours of June 4th, 1989, the People’s Liberation Army moved in to clear Tiananmen Square, resulting in what became known globally as the Tiananmen Massacre. How did China get to that point? What led to this confrontation between the state and the protesters? What really happened in Tienanmen Square 36 years ago? Was there an organized pro-democracy movement? Why did the Communist party respond so brutally? Was it avoidable? How events at Ti...

US & China: The Great Powers Competition China is considered the number one challenge facing the United States today. Within the U.S., there is bipartisan consensus that China poses a serious threat. Under the Trump 2.0 administration, very high tariffs on Chinese goods have been announced. What is the rationale behind these tariffs? Can a meaningful trade agreement with China be reached? Which sectors are most critical in U.S.–China trade relations? Are rare earth elements truly that i...

As we are traversing a very fluid geopolitical period Japan has its own security challenges to tackle. Japan relies on the US for its military security, has a complicated relationship with China, strongly advocates free maritime routes, and seeks collaboration with Europe to uphold liberal values. From Greek ships built in Japan, to Greek yoghurt in Osaka and the popularity of Manga in Greece, Japan is related to our country in many ways. To gain a better understanding on Japan we have inv...

The collection and analysis of digital data influences nearly every aspect of modern life, from fundamental marketing techniques and cutting-edge healthcare innovations to the development of bioweapons. What distinguishes the methods used by U.S. and Chinese companies in gathering data? Why does China hold a competitive edge in this domain? Can that edge be mitigated? Moreover, how is Greece impacted by these global dynamics? To explore these pressing questions, we are honored to host Dr. Ayn...

Οι σχέσεις Ευρώπης και Κίνας είναι εξαιρετικά πολύπλοκες και πολυδιάστατες. Η Ευρώπη διατηρεί μια σχέση αλληλεξάρτησης με την Κίνα, καθώς εξαρτάται σε μεγάλο βαθμό από αυτήν για κρίσιμα υλικά, όπως οι σπάνιες γαίες, ενώ το καθημερινό εμπόριο μεταξύ ΕΕ και Κίνας ανέρχεται στα 2,3 δισεκατομμύρια ευρώ. Παρά ταύτα, οι ευρωπαϊκές χώρες δεν μοιράζονται ενιαία στρατηγική για την προσέγγιση της Κίνας. Οι επιδεινούμενες σχέσεις ΗΠΑ-Κίνας, καθώς και γεωπολιτικοί παράγοντες όπως ο πόλεμος στην Ου...

Civil Society and Authoritarianism in China How does civil society function in a country like China, where even the term "non-governmental organization" cannot be used because it clashes with the regime? Can an organization defend, for example, human rights or LGBTQ rights? Civil society emerged in Communist China in the 1980s, influenced by Western ideas, but it evolved very differently. The state exercises strict control and supervision over social organizations. Mr. Cyril P...

Title: China: The Red Capitalist In the last 40 years, China has transformed itself from a poor country into an upper-middle-income country. At the same time, about 150 Chinese companies are on the Fortune 500 list—half of them state-owned. A country with a communist regime has managed to become rich and participate competitively in the global economic and commercial arena. How has this happened? How does China's state capitalism work, and how does it differ from Western capitalis...

China and the Asia-Pacific: A Good Neighbor or an Aspiring Hegemon? In the West, when we talk about the China region, we tend to think of Taiwan. However, the broader China region, the Asia-Pacific—excluding India—is the world's largest economic area and plays a key role in China's global standing. How do China's commercial, political, and economic relations function with countries like Taiwan, Japan, and Indonesia? For example, while there is tension between Taiwan and China, Tai...