Pauline Geyer is an intern at Asia Centre. She is studying International Relations and Social Sciences at the University of Erfurt, Germany with a particular focus on security issues regarding Asia.
In 2019, she spent her gap year in Malaysia, which aroused her interest in Southeast Asian history and politics. To brighten her understanding of Asian cultures and political relations, she studied as an exchange student at the Department of Political Science at National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. In the next academic year, she will pursue her master’s studies in the dual degree program between SciencesPo Paris and Peking University in the field of International Security.
Dr. Arnaud Leveau, President of Asia Centre, analyses how Mongolia, from COP17 in Ulaanbaatar to the Bishkek meeting, is turning its landlocked position between China and Russia into a regional function and diversifying its partnerships from Central Asia to France.
In this new piece, Isabelle Feng looks back at the tainted cooking oil scandal that has affected Taiwan for several weeks, and at Beijing’s measured response to the affair. She examines the protests held in Taipei on 25 July, the coverage of the event by Chinese state media, and reactions observed on Chinese social media. She puts this episode in perspective alongside the history of food safety scandals in mainland China and the question of freedom to protest on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
This Spark examines the transformation of South Korea’s defence industry, known domestically as K-Bangsan, into a major global arms exporter, currently ranked ninth worldwide with an ambition to reach fourth place by 2030.
Our German intern, Pauline Geyer, sheds light on the recent visit of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to China, offering fresh perspectives and insights.
«Chancellor Scholz’s recent visit to China has attracted much attention and is a focal point for assessing the complex relationship between Germany and China. However, a closer analysis reveals a complex web of economic interests and geopolitical considerations that underline the challenges and opportunities of this important partnership. »
