GPPi researcher talks China to foster international understanding

On 7 November 2013, GPPi’s Joel Sandhu gave a presentation on the rise of China in world politics at the Senior Academy of the Volkshochschule Arnstadt in Thuringia, a learning institution for German senior citizens.

In response to an ongoing public debate over Europe’s ​“China Angst,” Sandhu tried in his presentation to portray a more nuanced perspective on China. During his discussion, Sandhu addressed a German audience of 50 people, many of whom had never been to China before and had learned most of what they knew about the country from media sources. ​“Despite the current China angst sentiment, Europeans need to be aware that there are still a lot of challenges ahead of the country,” said Sandhu, a Hong Kong native. ​“China has a set of complex issues internally that it needs to address and overcome, which will take decades. So it is not all about growing economic clout.”

Sandhu introduced the audience to Chinese culture and traditions, and shed light on modern Chinese politics, explaining why and how some of the country’s major policies have been made in the past decades. The audience was particularly interested in issues related to the one-child policy, the role of religion in contemporary China as well as the apparent discrepancy between a capitalist style economy and a communist government structure.

This latest effort by the Volkshochschule Arnstadt is an indication of the growing interest in China across Europe, observed Sandhu, and it is paving the way ahead for more opportunities in creating international understanding.