We are pleased to invite you to the presentation of the new China Knowledge Network (CKN) report: Beyond Borders: Chinese Use of Foreign Interference Tactics in Dutch Strategic Industries.
Geopolitical competition is increasingly defined by control over strategic industries, technological capabilities, and critical supply chains. This is creating a new arena for exerting influence over, and securing dominance within, key industrial ecosystems, with significant implications for the Netherlands as an open, innovation-driven economy. At the same time, the Netherlands’ relationship with China is marked by both strategic competition and economic partnership, requiring policymakers to strike a careful balance between protecting strategic industries and maintaining constructive interactions with Beijing.
This new CKN report examines how China employs foreign interference tactics to target the Netherlands’ strategic industries: semiconductors, maritime and aerospace. These sectors are key to Dutch economic strength yet also constitute key sources of strategic vulnerability. The report concludes that Chinese interference should not be understood as a series of isolated incidents, but as a systemic and long-term threat. Left unaddressed, these activities risk eroding the Netherlands’ technological edge, economic independence and strategic autonomy.
This session provides an opportunity to discuss this topic with the report authors: Benedetta Girardi (The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies) and Hans Horan (The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies), and policy stakeholders. Following the welcome and introduction, the speakers will present the key findings of their report and engage in a Q&A with the attendees.
Practical information
Date: 2 July, 2026
Time: 15:30 - 17:00, followed by a borrel
Location: (Room TBA) Wijnhaven Building, The Hague or online
Programme
15:15 - 15:30 | Arrival
15:30 - 15:40 | Welcome and introduction
15:40 - 16:10 | Presentation of key findings
16:10 - 16:55 | Q&A
16:55 - 17:00 | Closing remarks
17:00 - 18:00 | Networking drinks
About the speakers
- Benedetta Girardi is Programme Coordinator of the HCSS Europe in the Indo-Pacific programme and Strategic Analyst at HCSS. Her primary research interests regard the geopolitics and geoeconomics of the Indo-Pacific, European defence and security policy, and the interactions and ties between Europe, China, and the United States.
- Hans Horan is a strategic analyst at HCSS, specialising in the Indo-Pacific, cyber threat intelligence, and security and defence affairs. Prior to joining HCSS, Hans worked for over seven years in the intelligence and security industry for both private and public sector organisations across the globe, where he served as their lead cyber intelligence and principal Asia-Pacific analyst. Hans advised a number of both private and public sector clients during this time on how to navigate growing geopolitical tensions and minimise the impact on their business operations.
We look forward to having you attend the event!
