Socio-political Development

The past few decades have seen China profoundly changed by modernization, and economic and social development. As a consequence, the demands that society places on the country’s political and institutional framework are changing. Policymakers are faced with the challenge of adapting to these changes.

With our political and academic dialogue program, the Hanns Seidel Foundation provides a space for meaningful analysis and discussion of socio-political issues in both Germany and China. The discourse reveals underlying motives and alternative courses of action, supporting the process of reform and institution building in China. Against the backdrop of differing social and political systems, each with their own respective value systems, this dialogue contributes to mutual understanding.

The Hanns Seidel Foundation works closely with the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (the Central Party School) and the All-China Women's Federation. We also cooperate with universities and other research institutions. Our work focuses on the following topics:

• Social change and institution building
• Rule of law and good governance
• Political, social and economic participation

Examples of our work:

In conjunction with the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries the Hanns Seidel Foundation organizes high-level political exchanges and delegations between China and Germany. Included in these exchanges are delegates from Chinese people's congresses at the provincial level and German parliamentary delegates at the regional, federal and European level. The aim is to promote a political dialogue and exchange of expertise on a variety of topics, including approaches to policy implementation at the local level.

The heart of "Politics, Society, Law", the Foundation’s dialogue program held in cooperation with the Central Party School, is academic events on topics such as social justice, political participation and conflict resolution mechanisms. Selected contributions from the events are published in our KOORD-series. The academic exchange is accompanied by expert delegations to Germany. The Hanns Seidel Foundation also organizes research sojourns in Germany for young lecturers at the Central Party School.

With the All-China Women's Federation we cooperate on issues of gender equality and the advancement of women. To this end, we promote a political exchange and organize events focusing on various subjects. We also offer training programs for women in underdeveloped regions within the Foundation’s established educational network, and jointly manage a micro-credit project with the All-China Women's Federation.

Together with Chinese universities and research institutions, the Hanns Seidel Foundation organizes academic forums, creating an open space for the discussion of social and political topics. In addition, we offer a series of workshops for Chinese academics in the field of German studies called "Germany Today", to provide them with further background information.