Debates beyond the party line

Our new German-language project in collaboration with Trier University, China Spektrum, makes visible the still diverse spectrum of opinion in China and sheds light on differences and similarities with official party-state positions.  

The first report from the series covers Chinese domestic debates about Russia's war in Ukraine and discussions among netizens about individual rights and state responsibilities in crisis situations. In addition, the analysis shows how the influential journalist Wu Xiaobo's criticism of the anti-monopoly law is stimulating a debate about overregulation of the IT industry. You can read the report (in German) here. 

China Spektrum is a joint project of the China Institute of Trier University (CIUT) and MERICS. It is funded by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. Within the framework of this two-year project, our experts, together with researchers from the China Institute of the University of Trier, follow and analyze discussions on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo and Zhihu. They also evaluate academic contributions, media articles, official statements and government documents. 

Related content: 

• Also listen to our podcast (in German) with Kristin Shi-Kupfer and Katja Drinhausen  
• Click here to go to the project's website (in German)