Announcement: CKN and think tank partners team up in European China Knowledge Network
The European China Knowledge Network (ECKN) supports timely and strategic dialogue on China among participants from the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European External Action Service, member states and other experts.
ECKN is an intiative of the Dutch China Knowledge Network (CKN), the German Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) and the Swedish National China Centre (at UI), supported by The Netherlands, Germany and Sweden. In Q2/2025 ECKN holds its first series of confidential Round Tables in Brussels – where it seeks to set up a permanent presence.
The first Round Table was hosted by the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) on 2 April 2025, where a new MERICS report on overcapacity and macro-economic imbalances in China was discussed.
China Knowledge Network
The Dutch China Knowledge Network (CKN) is a network established to connect China experts and disseminate knowledge within the government of the Netherlands and beyond.
Internationalization of the RMB: Status, Options and Risks
Evaluating Data Security in Chinese Drones and Smart Vehicles
Changing Perspectives Towards Conditions for Sustainable EU-China Academic Collaboration
Latest Reports
Events
Latest CKN Knowledge Sessions Recordings
Cutting Edge: Governing the ‘Ungovernable’ Generative AI in China
In this talk, Dr He will share insights from his current research on how Chinese large language models (LLMs) like DeepSeek and Wenxin Yiyan handle politically sensitive prompts. By collecting and analyzing prompts that the Chinese LLM DeepSeek refuses to respond to—and comparing how similar prompts are treated across multiple Chinese models—this study offers a rare empirical glimpse into the boundaries of content moderation in generative AI.
How Pig-Butchering Scams are Spreading from China to the Netherlands by Dr. Rao Yichen
In this CKN Knowledge session with Dr. Rao Yichen, we explore the global rise of digital scams, with a particular focus on “pig-butchering scams” (杀猪盘) and their impact on both global China and Dutch society. Digital fraud has become a pressing issue worldwide, transcending cultural and geopolitical boundaries. One of the newer forms is the “pig-butchering” scam, a sophisticated online fraud scheme where victims are slowly manipulated into making fraudulent cryptocurrency investments.
Latest CKN Report Presentations
CKN Report Presentation - Evaluating Data Security in Chinese Drones and Smart Vehicles by John Lee and Rogier Creemers
Digital technologies are fundamentally reshaping how consumers interact with products. From smart vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems to the rapid growth of consumer drone markets, connectivity and data are now at the core of modern product design and functionality. This video explores the dual impact of digitalization: the evolution of traditional goods like cars, and the emergence of entirely new categories such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It also highlights the growing strategic importance of data—how it's collected, processed, and potentially exploited.
Latest CKN Interviews
Rao Yichen on Pig-Butchering Scams in the Netherlands
Dr Rao Yichen, an expert in digital deception and economic anthropology at Utrecht University, talks about pig-butchering scams” (杀猪盘) and their impact on both global China and Dutch society. You can watch the full CKN Knowledge Session here
Covell Meyskens on Taiwanese Perspectives on the War in Ukraine
Dr. Covell Meyskens, assistant professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in California, explains Taiwan’s perspectives on Russia’s War in Ukraine. What is the impact of the war on Taiwan’s relationship with the US and the EU? And what is the public’s response in Taiwan to events unfolding in Ukraine? Watch the full CKN Knowledge Session here
John Lee on Data Security in Chinese Drones and Smart Vehicles
In this interview, John Lee, director of East West Futures Consulting, talks about his new report on Data Security in Chinese Drones and Smart Vehicles. You can read the report on the CKN website and watch the report presentation here.