China's Unstoppable Rise: Prospects for Economic and Political Development until 2025

China’s economy is currently undergoing a dynamic transition towards more innovation and wealth. The political system, in contrast, is once again being centralised and ideologised. Despite this lack of institutional complementarity, China’s continued rise as a regional and global power is generally accepted as a given.

As a trade partner, China plays a central role for Germany. Nevertheless, there is concern that the reciprocity of trading relations to date will give way to a dominant position for China in the world’s markets. Western investors could therefore face increased discrimination in China in the future. The experts in attendance at the GIGA Forum will discuss what political and economic developments can be expected in the years leading up to 2025.

Heike Holbig will analyse the ideological and organisational reforms undertaken at the Communist Party National Congress in October 2017 and the National People’s Congress in March 2018. She will discuss what the implications for political practice in the coming years could be. Margot Schüller will examine the current economic goals and programmes and the likelihood that they will be implemented. Friedolin Strack will outline the German business community’s expectations for the period up to 2025 as well as the opportunities and challenges that German firms could face in China and in competition with China worldwide.

Panel: Prof. Dr. Heike Holbig, Senior Research Fellow at the GIGA and Professor of Political Studies with a focus on China/East Asia Area Studies at Goethe University Frankfurt Dr. Margot Schüller, Associate at the GIGA Institute of Asia Studies Friedolin Strack, Head of the International Markets Department at the Federation of German Industries (BDI)

Moderation: Matthias Naß, International Correspondent at DIE ZEIT