Trade and Investment

Research and Insights

A cargo ship loaded with foreign trade containers departed from Qingdao Port in Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China on January 20, 2026.

China's economy in Q4: Strong exports offset domestic weaknesses

MERICS Economic Indicators Q4/2025

Alexander Brown

Economic Indicators

Jan 23, 2026

Towards a conditioning of Chinese greenfield investments in the EU

Andreas Mischer

Comment

Dec 10, 2025

A sharp contrast between Xian village and skyscrapers around in Guangzhou city, south China's Guangdong province.

China in 2026

MERICS China Essentials

Nov 27, 2025

Trump's trade talks and Europe (Brussels Sprouts podcast)

Mikko Huotari

External publication

Nov 07, 2025

Interior of the SKYWORTH Y with a view of the large flat screen on the dashboard

Europe’s vehicle-data gap: How under-regulation gives Chinese carmakers an edge

Wendy Chang

Comment

Oct 29, 2025

China will continue its successful strategy “Made in China 2025”

Andreas Mischer

Comment

Aug 25, 2025

Chinese citizens look at home appliances. The Chinese government introduced trade-in programs on costlier household purchases like washing machines and fridges to lift consumption in Q2 2025.

Solid GDP growth in Q2 masks China’s challenges

Alexander Brown

Andreas Mischer

Economic Indicators

Jul 23, 2025

Employees inspect wind turbine blades at a workshop of Shanghai Aeolon Wind Energy Technologies Development (Group) Co Ltd. on May 13, 2020 in Nantong, Jiangsu Province of China.

The EU sees early successes in using foreign subsidy regulation against Chinese companies

Andreas Mischer

Comment

Jun 11, 2025

Chinese FDI in Europe rebounds, with Armand Meyer and Andreas Mischer

Podcast

Jun 10, 2025

China in 25: AI chips, national security and Chinese investments in Europe

Podcast

May 23, 2025

Chinese investment rebounds despite growing frictions - Chinese FDI in Europe: 2024 Update

Agatha Kratz

Max J. Zenglein

Andreas Mischer

Gregor Sebastian

Armand Meyer

Report

May 21, 2025

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

Podcast

May 02, 2025

A billboard advertising U.S. beef at a supermarket in Beijing

China's economy improves as it braces for external shock

Max J. Zenglein

François Chimits

Economic Indicators

Apr 25, 2025

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

Podcast

Apr 24, 2025

US tariffs and the consequences for China (ZDFheute)

Max J. Zenglein

External publication

Apr 10, 2025

Trucks line up to depart from a container terminal in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu province on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

MERICS China Essentials Special Issue: The US-China trade war

MERICS China Essentials

Apr 10, 2025

Aerial view of new cars waiting for transportation at the logistics center of CHANGAN Automobile in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality

Beyond overcapacity: Chinese-style modernization and the clash of economic models

Jacob Gunter

Alexander Brown

François Chimits

Antonia Hmaidi

Abigaël Vasselier

Max J. Zenglein

Report

Apr 01, 2025

A cargo ship loaded with foreign trade containers sails out of the port of Qingdao in Shandong province, China on March 18, 2025.

Staying united is the best way for the EU to reduce its trade vulnerabilities on China

François Chimits

Comment

Mar 19, 2025

China’s economy in 2025, with Max Zenglein

Podcast

Jan 23, 2025

argo ships load and unload containers in an orderly manner at the Dapukou Container Terminal in Jintang Port area of Zhoushan Port in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, China, Jan 4, 2025.

China’s record trade surplus + Anti-corruption campaign + De-risking

MERICS China Essentials

Jan 16, 2025

Workers assemble cars at a Beijing Benz Automotive Co. Ltd factory, a German joint venture company for Mercedes-Benz, in Beijing

German carmakers are placing a risky bet on China

Alexander Brown

Andreas Mischer

Comment

Dec 10, 2024

China is dominating exports, but lacking in global integration, with François Chimits

Podcast

Dec 06, 2024

Fighting local government debt, with Victor Shih and Max Zenglein

Podcast

Nov 29, 2024

Chinese people buy Thai durians at an international logistics center for agricultural products in Nanning, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region

China’s surging overcapacities are pressuring many developing countries too

Jacob Gunter

Claus Soong

China Global Competition Tracker

Nov 27, 2024

New MERICS index: how internationally integrated is China's economy?

François Chimits

Report

Nov 21, 2024

China’s economy shows faint signs of stabilization over Q3

Max J. Zenglein

François Chimits

Alexander Brown

Economic Indicators

Oct 23, 2024

Containers are seen at the Port of Nanjing in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China, Aug 6, 2024.

Growing asymmetry: Mapping the import dependencies in EU and US trade with China

François Chimits

Report

Oct 01, 2024

Economic momentum falters over Q2

Max J. Zenglein

François Chimits

Alexander Brown

Economic Indicators

Jul 19, 2024

Experts on Trade and Investment

Mikko Huotari

Executive Director

China’s foreign policy; China-Europe relations; global (economic) governance and competition

Jacob Gunter

Head of Program

China's political economy; Industrial policy; Innovation

Alexander Brown

Senior Analyst

Industrial policy; foreign economic policy

Andreas Mischer

Analyst

Foreign investment; industrial policy and Chinese automotive industry

Events

Chinese FDI in the European Union: the implications for European business and policymaking

Jun. 30, 2021

Lianyungang Port, industry, trade and economy

China's economy and economic policy: Exchange between MERICS and economic research institutes

Jan. 20, 2021

Trade and Investment

China's economy in Q4: Strong exports offset domestic weaknesses

MERICS Economic Indicators Q4/2025

Towards a conditioning of Chinese greenfield investments in the EU

China in 2026

Trump's trade talks and Europe (Brussels Sprouts podcast)

Europe’s vehicle-data gap: How under-regulation gives Chinese carmakers an edge

China will continue its successful strategy “Made in China 2025”

Solid GDP growth in Q2 masks China’s challenges

The EU sees early successes in using foreign subsidy regulation against Chinese companies

Chinese FDI in Europe rebounds, with Armand Meyer and Andreas Mischer

China in 25: AI chips, national security and Chinese investments in Europe

Chinese investment rebounds despite growing frictions - Chinese FDI in Europe: 2024 Update

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

China's economy improves as it braces for external shock

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

US tariffs and the consequences for China (ZDFheute)

MERICS China Essentials Special Issue: The US-China trade war

Beyond overcapacity: Chinese-style modernization and the clash of economic models

Staying united is the best way for the EU to reduce its trade vulnerabilities on China

China’s economy in 2025, with Max Zenglein

China’s record trade surplus + Anti-corruption campaign + De-risking

German carmakers are placing a risky bet on China

China is dominating exports, but lacking in global integration, with François Chimits

Fighting local government debt, with Victor Shih and Max Zenglein

China’s surging overcapacities are pressuring many developing countries too

New MERICS index: how internationally integrated is China's economy?

China’s economy shows faint signs of stabilization over Q3

Growing asymmetry: Mapping the import dependencies in EU and US trade with China

Economic momentum falters over Q2

Mikko Huotari

Jacob Gunter

Alexander Brown

Andreas Mischer

Chinese FDI in the European Union: the implications for European business and policymaking

China's economy and economic policy: Exchange between MERICS and economic research institutes

Become a member

China and the EU-US rift + Economic security + Car imports from China