European Think-tank Network on China (ETNC)
The European Think-tank Network on China (ETNC) is a gathering of China experts from a selection of European think tanks and research institutes that is devoted to the study of Chinese foreign policy and EU-China relations.
Kontaktpersoner
Alexis von Sydow
Analytiker
The network serves to facilitate regular exchanges among participating researchers for the purpose of deepening the understanding of how Europe, as a complex set of actors, relates with China and how developments in China will impact the future of Europe. In particular, when examining the EU-China relationship, the network’s discussions, analyses and recommendations take a decidedly “bottom-up” approach, examining the bilateral relationships between EU member states and China in order to generate a more complex perspective on the broader EU-China relationship.
ETNC publishes an annual report reviewing the state of Europe-China relations focusing on one specific topic each year.
Since its inaugural meeting in 2014, the network members meet in a different capital every six months. The network is coordinated by representatives of the Elcano Royal Institute, the French Institute of International Relations and the Mercator Institute for China Studies.
The goals of the ETNC are:
- To facilitate regular exchanges among European researchers on key issues related to China and Chinese foreign policy, and in particular on how they relate to the EU and individual EU member states.
- To generate discussions among European policy experts on bilateral relationships between EU member states and China, and subsequently on the EU-China relationship more broadly.
- To provide recommendations for the conduct of Europe-China relations based on in-depth discussions and research conducted by experts within the network.
- To create a European pool of expertise and contact networks in and on China that can be activated and utilized whenever one of the participating members requires it.
Yearly publications
Quest for Strategic Autonomy? Europe Grapples with the US – China Rivalry (2025)
National Perspectives on Europe’s De-risking from China (2024)
From a China strategy to no strategy at all: Exploring the diversity of European approaches (2023)
Dependence in Europe's relations with China (2022)
China's Soft Power in Europe: Falling on Hard Times (2021)
Covid-19 in Europe-China Relations: A country-level analysis (2020)
Europe in the Face of US-China Rivalry (2019)
Political Values in Europe-China Relations (2018)
Chinese Investment in Europe. A Country-Level Approach (2017)
Europe and China's New Silk Roads (2016)
Mapping Europe-China Relations: A Bottom-Up Approach (2015)
Participating Institutions
- Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES), Austria
- Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations, Belgium
- Economic Policy Institute (EPI), Bulgaria
- Institute of International Relations (IIR), Czech Republic
- Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), Denmark
- International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS), Estonia
- Finnish Institute for International Affairs (FIIA), Finland
- French Institute of International Relations (Ifri), France
- Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), Germany
- Institute of International Economic Relations (IIER), Greece
- Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary
- Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Italy
- Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA), Latvia
- Institute of International Relations and Political Science (IIRPS), Vilnius University, Lithuania
- The Netherlands Institute of International Relations, ‘Clingendael’, The Netherlands
- Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), Norway
- Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), Poland
- University of Aveiro, Portugal
- The Romanian Institute for the Study of the Asia-Pacific (RISAP), Romania
- Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS), Slovakia
- University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business, Slovenia
- Elcano Royal Institute, Spain
- Swedish National China Centre, Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI), Sweden
- Lau China Institute, King’s College London, United Kingdom.
