Best MERICS Podcasts (2025)

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„China in 25“: EU-China Beziehungen + BRICS-Gipfel + KI in China 25:59

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1d ago25:59

25:59

„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China. In dieser Folge geht es um die Beziehungen zwischen China und der EU im Licht der Europareise des chinesischen Außenministers Wang Yi und vor dem EU-China Gipfel in Beijing, um Xi Jinpings Abwesenheit auf dem BRI…

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The 2025 EU-China summit, with Abigaël Vasselier 24:05

9d ago24:05

24:05

The next EU-China Summit will take place in Beijing at the end of this month. In this episode of our podcast, Abigaël Vasselier, Director of Policy and European Affairs and Head of Program for Foreign Relations at MERICS, joins Claudia Wessling, Director Communications and Publications, to talk about her expectations for the summit, the state of EU…

1
China’s National Security White Paper, with Katja Drinhausen und Helena Legarda 32:08

12d ago32:08

32:08

With an uncertain geopolitical environment and ongoing competition with the US and Europe, national security has become even more important than before in China. So much so that a National Security White Paper, the first of its kind, was published in May of 2025. How has China’s approach to security changed under the changing international environm…

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How can brands scale their digital customer success programs efficiently? (feat. Samantha David of monday.com) 30:12

23d ago30:12

30:12

On this episode, we explore how B2B SaaS platform monday.com has scaled its digital customer success programs to support rapid growth — and how these programs are optimized to meet each customer at their specific point along the customer journey. As businesses expand, there are more customers to support and the same amount of time in each day. That…

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China in 25: China und der Nahost-Krieg + Grundlagenforschung + EU-China-Gipfel 24:25

26d ago24:25

24:25

„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China. In dieser Folge geht es um die Eskalation zwischen dem Iran und Israel und wie Chinas Reaktionen darauf einzuschätzen sind, um die Forschungsinvestitionen des chinesischen Telekom Riesen Huawei sowie um die EU-ch…

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The party and the private economy, with Kasper Ingeman Beck and Nis Grünberg 33:11

1M ago33:11

33:11

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is widening its influence over private companies. Since Xi Jinping took office as party and state leader, the CCP has increased its control over the private economy by guiding capital, controlling shares and engaging in corporate governance. In this episode, Kasper Ingeman Beck, Postdoc at the Copenhagen Business S…

1
Chinese FDI in Europe rebounds, with Armand Meyer and Andreas Mischer 25:56

1M ago25:56

25:56

Chinese outbound foreign direct investment in the EU and UK rose for the first time in 2024 after seven consecutive years of decline. In this episode we look at what has changed, where the money is going, and what is happening in the particularly important sector of electric vehicles. Armand Meyer, Senior Research Analyst with Rhodium Group’s China…

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What trends are shaping trust and safety programs in 2025? (feat. Peter Ryan and Ljubiša Velikić) 32:24

2M ago32:24

32:24

On this episode, we discuss trust and safety trends — including emerging challenges and opportunities — and how the evolution of technology is shaping CX leaders' priorities in 2025. Fraudulent activity, cyber attacks, data breaches and harmful user-generated content are on the rise. To combat these threats, robust trust and safety programs have be…

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What to expect from the UK’s China Audit, with Charles Parton 31:59

2M ago31:59

31:59

The Labor government in the UK launched an audit of the country’s relations with China in 2024. The results are set to be released in June. In this episode of the MERICS China Podcast, Charles Parton joins Johannes Heller-John to talk about the UK’s China Audit and the importance of science and technology in the China context. Charles Parton is a m…

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„China in 25“: KI-Chips, nationale Sicherheit und Chinas Investitionen in Europa 23:01

2M ago23:01

23:01

„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China. In dieser Folge geht es um eine neue Eskalation zwischen den USA und China im Bereich Hochleistungschips und Künstliche Intelligenz, um Chinas Sicherheits- und Rüstungspolitik sowie um Chinas erstmals seit Jahren…

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„China in 25“: Einigung im Zollstreit und Xi in Moskau 21:56

2M ago21:56

21:56

„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China. In dieser Folge geht es um die überraschende Einigung im Zollstreit zwischen den USA und China in Genf, die eine Senkung der gegenseitigen Zölle für 90 Tage vorsieht. Außerdem beleuchten wir die enge Beziehung zw…

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US-China policy under Trump 2.0, with Thomas E. Kellogg 29:59

2M ago29:59

29:59

After weeks of fierce confrontations, the US and China are making first steps to negotiate in the ongoing tariff row. Ahead of a meeting of representatives of both sides in Geneva, MERICS Director Communications and Publications Claudia Wessling talked with Thomas E. Kellogg, Executive Director of the Georgetown Center for Asian Law. In the new epi…

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China’s overcapacities, with Max J. Zenglein and Jacob Gunter 23:56

3M ago23:56

23:56

High US tariffs on China have raised concerns in the EU of Chinese goods being rerouted from the US to Europe. This has also rekindled an ongoing discussion about overcapacities in the Chinese industry. Why are they a danger to European industries? What drives them in China? And what options do European decisionmakers have? Max J. Zenglein, Chief E…

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How can crypto and fintech brands prevent fraud and maintain customer trust? (feat. Amanda Wick) 34:20

3M ago34:20

34:20

On this episode, we explore the threat landscape in crypto and fintech — and how companies can go beyond maintaining customer trust to turn confidence into a competitive advantage. With the advent of fintech and crypto platforms, financial services have become more accessible, efficient and transparent for customers. However, the combination of soc…

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„China in 25": Xis Reisediplomatie, Chinas Wirtschaft im 1. Quartal und deutsche Unternehmen 26:17

3M ago26:17

26:17

„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China. In dieser Folge geht es um die Reisediplomatie von Partei- und Staatschef Xi Jinping, der sich bei Besuchen in Südostasien darum bemüht hat, Unterstützer im Handelskrieg mit den USA zu gewinnen. Wir sprechen auch…

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The China-US trade war and implications for the EU, with Jacob Gunter 35:40

3M ago35:40

35:40

Global tariffs introduced by the US government under the second Trump administration on April 2nd have rocked global markets. While they have been reduced to a blanket rate of 10 percent a week later, they have increased for China to 145 percent. In retaliation, the Chinese government raised tariffs on all US goods to 125 percent. Johannes Heller-J…

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"China in 25": Einschätzungen zum Handelskrieg und China im Koalitionsvertrag 23:52

3M ago23:52

23:52

„China in 25“ – in maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China im laufenden Jahr 2025. In dieser Folge geht es um den eskalierenden Handelskrieg zwischen den USA und China sowie um den Koalitionsvertrag zwischen CDU, CSU und SPD. Diese Folge wurde am 10. April um 15:30 Uhr au…

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How China sees Europe during Trump 2.0, with Grzegorz Stec 30:51

4M ago30:51

30:51

The widening rift between the United States and Europe will have an effect on the EUs relationship with China. How does Beijing see the EU in the first months of the second Trump administration? Is there an appetite for closer engagement? And what does this mean for Europe? Johannes Heller-John talks to Grzegorz Stec, Head of our Brussels Office an…

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Is automation the key to more human, personalized experiences? (feat. Bal Mahal and David Wachs) 26:51

4M ago26:51

26:51

On this episode, we explore practical strategies for maintaining authentic customer connections and how, paradoxically, automation can make your experiences more human — not less. As brands scale, creating personalized customer experiences becomes increasingly challenging. Automation, when thoughtfully implemented, can create space for human team m…

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Die Bundestagswahl von China aus gesehen, mit Kristin Shi-Kupfer 21:58

4M ago21:58

21:58

Die Wahlen zum Deutschen Bundestag vom 23. Februar wurden auch in China aufmerksam verfolgt. Kristin Shi-Kupfer, Professorin für Sinologie an der Universität Trier und Senior Associate Fellow bei MERICS, berichtet in dieser Ausgabe unseres Podcasts, warum Alice Weidel in den Online-Foren so stark diskutiert wird, was die Netizens über Friedrich Mer…

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Kontrollierte Vielfalt – Chinas soziale Medien, mit Kristin Shi-Kupfer und Katja Drinhausen 29:24

4M ago29:24

29:24

Einige der weltweit größten und erfolgreichsten Social Media Plattformen sind in China – mehrere davon mit hunderten Millionen Nutzern. Sie sind Ort für soziale Interaktion, Unterhaltung, Nachrichten und Wissensaustausch. Auch politische Themen werden diskutiert wie beispielsweise Debatten zur Anhebung des Rentenalters, zur Familienplanungspolitik …

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Is experience management the new customer experience? (feat. Ian Golding and Diane Magers) 37:14

5M ago37:14

37:14

On this episode, we explore whether it’s time for leaders to reframe their thinking from traditional customer experience to experience management. Although brands may understand that customer experience is essential to success, they often overlook the importance of other stakeholders. The term “experience management” goes beyond that interaction be…

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"China in 25": Zölle, USA, China in Wahlprogrammen 18:22

5M ago18:22

18:22

„China in 25“ ist ein neues Podcast-Format von MERICS: In maximal 25 Minuten sprechen Mikko Huotari, Bernhard Bartsch und Claudia Wessling über aktuelle Entwicklungen in China im laufenden Jahr 2025. In der ersten Folge geht es um den Zollstreit zwischen den USA und China, die Herausforderungen einer transatlantischen Koordination in der China-Poli…

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DeepSeek and the upcoming AI Action Summit, with Rebecca Arcesati 36:57

5M ago36:57

36:57

The Chinese startup DeepSeek has rattled Silicon Valley’s confidence in the United States’ lead in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. DeepSeek’s first free Chatbot App became the most downloaded app on the iOS App Store as well as on the Google Play Store by the end of January. These developments come ahead of the French AI Action Summit, whi…

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The era of AI-driven personalization is here. What now? (feat. Mark Abraham and David Caudle) 31:47

6M ago31:47

31:47

On this episode, we discuss the evolution of personalization in the customer experience — and how brands can leverage AI to create personalized experiences at scale. According to TELUS Digital research, 62% of consumers would choose a more personalized experience over a faster experience. But despite the demand, the BCG Personalization Index indica…

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EU-China relations in 2025, with Abigaël Vasselier 30:17

6M ago30:17

30:17

Abigaël Vasselier, Director Policy & European Affairs at MERICS, just returned from a trip to Washington DC where she discussed transatlantic China policies with US counterparts. In this conversation with Claudia Wessling, MERICS Director of Communications & Publications, Abigael talks about the challenges that lie ahead for the EU in the coming mo…

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China’s economy in 2025, with Max Zenglein 14:14

6M ago14:14

14:14

China’s economy ended 2024 on a stronger-than-expected note. GDP expanded by 5.4 percent in the fourth quarter, bringing full-year growth to five percent – exactly as forecasted by the Chinese leadership. This momentum gives the leadership a good position to face an uncertain 2025, but significant challenges remain. In this episode Johannes Heller-…

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China and the race for quantum leadership, with Antonia Hmaidi and Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau 26:47

6M ago26:47

26:47

China is vying for leadership in quantum research and applications. But it is still early days, and front runners and technical approaches have not yet been consolidated. Johannes Heller-John talks to Antonia Hmaidi, Senior Analyst at MERICS and lead of the MERICS' data task force, and Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau, Head of Program "Science, Technology an…