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In cooperation with the Hong Kong Baptist University (Prof. Jean-Pierre Cabestan), the Hong Kong America Center (Glenn Shive) and the German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD (Dr. Sylvia Brandt) the KAS/Beijing inspired an intensive dialogue on the rise and changing image of China in the global system.

The symposium was inaugurated by Werner Lauk, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Hong Kong. Further attendants of this event were other high-ranking representatives of the Russian, Finnish and South-Korean General Consulates in Hong Kong.

Beijing’s ever-rising transnational standing and the consequences for global actors were subject of critical analysis. Creative descriptive approaches were developed along important questions: The international attendants were debating China’s geo-political positioning and the regional security in Asia as well as Beijing’s potential weighton theglobalsystemsinthefieldsofeconomy,financeandtrade. Furthermore, the participants assesseddomesticpolicyadjustments(media, civil society, and judiciary).

Professionals from a diversity of disciplines and regions raised a range of important questions: What characterises China’s (economic) rise and how is it influencing China’s image in the inner Chinese discourse (inside – inside), as well as its consideration from the outside world (outside – inside). The key-role of the venue Hong Kong (open, pluralistic culture of debate), was also part of this critical reflection.

The highly qualified panels of this 4-day symposium focussed on the following key aspects: „China’s role in geo-politics, regional security in Asia, and international organizations“, „The impact of China’s economic development in the reform era on the global trade, finance and business systems“, „Media, journalism, mass culture and consumerism in shaping China’s rising urban middle class“, „Education, migrations of talent and transitions to the new workforce“ as well as „NGOs, civil society and the quality of life in China“.

Thomas Awe, Director of the KAS/Peking,Prof.Jean-PierreCabestan, Hong Kong Baptist University, andDavidSkidmore, Hong Kong Baptist University, moderated the panel discussion. The inspiring presentations were followed by dynamic debates and theme specific workshops: The aim was to develop sustainable strategies with regard to China’s social, economical and political development. The international contributors (Mike Chinoy, Chinese University of Hong Kong; Richard Hu, Hong Kong University; Ying Wu, University for International Business and Economics Beijing; Simon Cox, Asian Economics Editor/The Economist, K.C. Kwok, Hong Kong University; C. Roland Vogt, Hong Kong University; Joseph Cheng, City University of Hong Kong, Huang Yu, Hong Kong Baptist University) formulated assumptions, which inspired a pluralistic and open discussion, joined by scholars from China, Europe and America who revealed differentiated benchmarks to the following problems:

Can a liberal economic system be successful in the long run even though the general public cannot participate in political decision-making processes? Is China a destabilising power in the East-Asian region? Is China’s rise influencing the global system of arrangement and its domestic and foreign image? Does Beijing play by the international book of rules or will this rising superpower set up its own rules in the future multilateral discourse („changing the game“)? Will Beijing’s assertiveness strengthen in the international dialogue? Is China’s foreign political discourse more influential than before? What influence does the social media (netizen) have on political decision-making processes in modern China?

Alongside this line of discussion inner- and foreign political challenges for China’s transition to becoming a responsible „Global Player“ in the multilateral discourse. The reflection on China from such different regional point of views (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Europe, America, and Asia) and interdisciplinary angles (International Relations, Political-, Social-, Judicial- and Communication Sciences, Economy, History, Geology) made an intensive discussion possible.

With thecompositionofinformalnetworksbetween the international attendants, the discussion andcomprehensionof different western approach strategies to China (and vice versa) could be further promoted. The conference laid headstone for a more intensive co-operation in and a moredifferentiatedappreciationofChina__ina__a___.