The Covid-19 pandemic has reached Europe and America in the beginning of February 2020.The governments of the Western world have managed to mitigate the economic, political and social hardships with different effectivity. But what is happening in China, from where the pandemic started, and where it has already begun to halt? According to the reports of the Chinese Communist Party, since March, the new daily cases have been stagnating in the country.

However, it is indisputable, that since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the decrease of growth has been visible, alongside with the shifting tone on some political questions and the resurfacing of social differences. The future of the two centenary goals of 2021 and 2049 has become questionable, just like the Made in China 2025 strategy and the infrastructural investments of the Belt and Road Initiative, which together can lead to the unsuccessful realization of the Chinese grand strategy. The ambitious goals set forth by the above mentioned project could lead to serious hardships for the country, especially in the case of China, who does not just have to get past these obstacles, but the emerging war of narratives and the trade war with the U.S. too.

How and when will the People’s Republic of China be able to overcome the setbacks caused by the pandemic? What will happen to the amount of Foreign Direct Investment flowing into, and the Outward Direct Investment flowing out of the country? What is the future of the Belt and Road Initiative? These are some of the questions, we hope to answer during our panel discussion, which is part of the Foreign- and Security Firsthand series. The title of our discussion: China after the pandemic.

Our speakers

Gergely SALÁT Head of Institute, Institute of International Relations and Politics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University

Viktor ESZTERHAI Senior researcher, Pallas Athene Geopolitical Institut

Moderator: Norbert MIKLÓS International Relations Manager, Antall József Knowledge Centre