This week, the panel discussion “Werte versus Interessen? Deutsch-chinesische Wirtschaftsbeziehungen” [“Values vs. Interests? Sino-German Economic Relations”] took place as part of the China. Im Jahr des Drachen [“China. In the Year of the Dragon”] series by the Münchner Volkshochschule.
Munich Business School was well represented on the panel, with core faculty member Christian Schmidkonz sharing his expertise alongside Geiger, Stefan, who not only leads the Chinaforum Bayern e.V. but also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Munich Business School. Joining them were Dr. Sabine Stricker-Kellerer (SSK Asia) and moderator Dr. Astrid Freyeisen (Bayerischer Rundfunk), who guided the discussion.
The panel collectively brought more than 150 years of China experience to the stage, providing deep insights into critical topics such as the balance of dependencies and risks in Sino-German business relations, competition with state-subsidized Chinese companies, and strategies like “de-risking.”
A key takeaway from the discussion is the undeniable need for nuanced and strategic approaches to this multifaceted relationship. China’s role as partner, competitor, and systemic rival poses challenges that demand innovative thinking, resilience, and a truly global perspective—qualities we at Munich Business School are committed to fostering in our students and research.
