Asia

Recent publications

DeepSeek Home located in China with a blurred person walking by a sign.

The Geopolitics of AI App Exports

Control over AI chatbots means power. This FNF study by DGAP expert Valentin Weber shows that Chinese apps are now widely used around the world. Europe is losing ground.

Valentin Weber

Stéphane Séjourné Press Conference On Industrial Accelerator Act - Brussels

China geht in die Offensive – die EU muss sich wehren

Michael Laha

Derzeit wird in Brüssel ein wichtiges Gesetzesvorhaben diskutiert, das der chinesischen Regierung überhaupt nicht gefällt. Der Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) soll chinesische Produzenten aus dem europäischen öffentlichen Beschaffungsmarkt in Greentech-Industrien wie zum Beispiel Batterien und Solaranlagen ausschließen. Ziel ist es, europäische Industrien zu schützen und technologische Souveränität zu erreichen. Dagegen startet Peking nun einen Angriff.

Robotic arms work on the assembly line of C11 electric SUV at a factory of Chinese EV startup Leapmotor on April 26, 2023 in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province of China.

China’s EV Rise and the Strategic Challenge for Japan’s Automotive Industry

Aya Adachi

China’s rapid expansion in electric vehicle production is reshaping global automotive competition for both European and Japanese automakers. Japan —a pioneer in hybrid vehicles— is struggling to translate this leadership into battery electric vehicles (BEVs), as Chinese manufacturers rapidly scale production and exports. At the same time, China’s dominance in battery manufacturing and critical mineral processing exposes upstream vulnerabilities for Japan’s automotive industry. Together, these developments create a dual challenge: intensifying downstream competition in electric vehicle (EV) markets and continued dependence on Chinese-controlled supply chains.

Allies and Partners: The Future of Relations with China

Michael Laha

This report brings together insights from two expert meetings in Italy and Berlin, convening over 30 specialists from East Asia, Europe, and the United States. It examines China’s evolving global role and explores where coordinated approaches among partners can address the challenges of its foreign policy.

Photo of press briefing on draft Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) in Beijing on March 7, 2026.

Tech-Prioritäten in Chinas Fünfjahresplan

Europa muss sich auf den Wettbewerb in Biomanufacturing vorbereiten

Michael Laha

A pile of old car batteries stacked on top of each other

Why “Black Mass” Is Critical

Germany and Europe Must Reduce Reliance on China for Battery Recycling

Yuka Kobayashi

Germany and Europe need to invest heavily into developing and building up their own capacities for recycling and reusing the materials contained in batteries.