As an Analyst at MERICS, Antonia Hmaidi works on China’s pursuit of tech self-reliance with focus on semiconductors and operating systems, China’s internet infrastructure, and disinformation and hacking campaigns. Antonia also develops modelling and big data analysis tools.

She gained experience as a project manager at the Bertelsmann Stiftung, worked at the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), as a journalist in Asia and at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP).

He specializes in Chinese economic policies and global strategies, China in Africa, China’s overseas sovereign lending, China’s influence in multilateral institutions, Belt and Road Initiative, US-China trade relations, China’s technological strategies, innovation environment for startups and SMEs.

Jean-Pierre Cabestan is Senior Researcher Emeritus at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (Centre national de la recherche scientifique), attached to the French Research Institute on East Asia (IFRAE) of the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilisations, and Professor Emeritus at Hong Kong Baptist University. He is also Senior Researcher at Asia Centre, Paris, Associate Research Fellow at the French Centre for Research on Contemporary China in Hong Kong and a Non-Resident Visiting Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Washington DC. His most recent publications include China Tomorrow: Democracy or Dictatorship?, Lanham, MD, Rowman & Littlefield, 2019 and Facing China: The Prospect for War and Peace, Lanham, MD, Rowman & Littlefield, 2023.

Martin’s PhD focused on institutionalization processes at international campuses in China, especially campuses involving Chinese and international research universities that organized joint research, education and innovation activities. His current research focuses on China’s science and technology policy, e.g. central and local governments’ investments in S&T, reforms affecting the S&T system etc., as well as how China engages internationally to ensure participation in S&T value chains around the world.
While associated with China Horizons, Martin is also working for the Danish Academy for Technical Sciences (ATV) where he is Head of Partnerships and International Relations. Prior to joining ATV, Martin worked for the Danish Foreign Ministry as Innovation Attaché at Innovation Center Denmark in Shanghai.