Foreign Correspondents' Club of China

FCCC Online Talk: What role will China play in the global climate fight? with Belinda Schaepe and Lauri Myllyvirta
2025-11-13 16:00 - 17:30 (Asia/Shanghai) | Google Meet
The COP 30 in Belem (Brazil) is already here. And we are eager to know more about China’s role in it. Belinda Schaepe and Lauri Myllyvirta, two top analysts on climate and Chinese decarbonization policies from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), will provide some deep insights on Beijing’s plans for the COP 30 and beyond.
Lauri Myllyvirta is co-founder and lead analyst of Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and senior fellow at Asia Society Policy Institute. He is dedicated to tracking and advancing the clean energy transition, with data and evidence.
Belinda Schaepe is China Policy Analyst with the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), where she analyses China’s decarbonization journey and advises policymakers of different countries and institutions on their diplomatic engagement with China.

FCCC & Embassy of Poland Networking Event
2025-11-20 18:00 - 19:30 | Embassy of Poland, 1 Ritan Rd, Beijing, Chaoyang Park, 100005, China
Join us for an exclusive networking event of the kind you’ll only get here: Diplomats from all 27 EU countries have been invited for an informal mixer with the FCCC Correspondent members. Rub shoulders, build your network, and exchange views on events in China and the geopolitical moment! Fourth Plenum and other topics of interest will be on the table, along with delicious food and inspiring drinks.
This event is organized in cooperation with the Embassy of Poland. Chatham House rules apply.
Where: Polish Embassy
When: November 20, 6 pm
Admission is free, but the number of participants on our side is capped at 25.
As this takes place in a diplomatic venue, you need to register (incl. passport number) before November 14.

FCCC Online Talk: Europe’s China Inflection Points by Andrew Small
2025-12-09 18:00 - 19:00 | Google Meet
The coming months represent a(nother) decisive period for the Europe-China relationship, with a cluster of senior visits – including the French President very recently, and the German Chancellor and British Prime Minister in early 2026. Alongside a flurry of new EU policy moves on China, and as Europe looks to navigate a(nother) China Shock to its industry, the consequences of the squeeze on rare earth exports, and the implications of deepened Sino-Russian ties for the European security order. This talk will offer a preview of what to expect in the coming weeks and where the key debates on China in Europe are headed.
About the Speaker: Andrew Small is the Director of the Asia Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. He previously served as the first China Fellow at IDEA and as a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund. He is the author of The Rupture (No Limits) and The China-Pakistan Axis, and his work has appeared in Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, and other major outlets.

FCCC Online Event: How China’s economic engagement ended US primacy in Latin America by Francisco Urdinez
2026-01-30 09:00 - 10:00 | Google Meet
With the US administration’s desire to ensure the « Western Hemisphere » is politically on its side and recent military action to remove Nicolas Maduro, Latin America is at the center of the rivalry between the United States and China. But Washington may find out Beijing already has displaced it in many aspects of the trade and economic relations with the region, and gained political ground. Join us for a discussion with Francisco Urdinez, who just published Economic Displacement – China and the End of US Primacy in Latin America.
About the Speaker: Francisco Urdinez is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Political Science of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, where he also directs the Millennium Nucleus for the Impacts of China in Latin America (ICLAC) project on China’s impacts in Latin America. Through data analysis and case studies, he demonstrates how China has filled the economic void left by US retrenchment from 2001 to 2020. He argues that this economic shift has led to a significant erosion of US political influence in the region, affecting public opinion, elite perspective, and voting patterns in international organizations.

FCCC Online Talk. Pentagon to Beijing: Inside US-China Defense Relations
2026-02-02 09:00 - 10:00 | Google Meet
Join us for a timely virtual discussion with Chad Sbragia, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China, as he unpacks contemporary U.S.–China defense relations. Drawing on firsthand experience in China and the Pentagon, Chad will explore the prospects of bilateral defense relations in the context of the broader strategic relationship, military modernization, crisis risks, and what lies ahead for global security. The session concludes with a Q&A session, giving you the chance to ask questions about a rarely public issue area.
About the Speaker: Chad Sbragia is a Research Staff Member at the Institute for Defense Analyses where he concentrates on U.S. national security and defense policy and analyses of China’s governance, foreign policy, and national defense, systems and strategies.
Prior to joining IDA, Mr. Sbragia served as the inaugural Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Previously, Mr. Sbragia served as the Director of the China Research Group for the U.S. Marine Corps where he served from 1985-2012 including assignment as the U.S. Marine Attaché within the U.S. Embassy Beijing. He holds an M.A. in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School, a B.S. in Political Science from Arizona State University, graduated the Defense Language Institute’s Chinese language program, and studied Chinese language at Capital Normal University in Beijing.

FCCC Online Talk. The Broken China Dream: How Reform Revived Totalitarianism
2026-02-03 10:00 - 11:00 | Google Meet
Join us for a compelling talk with Dr. Minxin Pei, a distinguished scholar of Chinese politics, as he presents his latest book, “The Broken China Dream: How Reform Revived Totalitarianism.” Dr. Pei will delve into his provocative argument that China’s reform efforts, rather than fostering democracy, inadvertently set the stage for a resurgence of totalitarianism under Xi Jinping. He will explore how the Chinese Communist Party’s strategic decisions have led to a re-establishment of personalistic rule, a cult of personality, stringent social control, and an assertive foreign policy, examining the profound implications of these developments for China and the world.
About the Speaker: Dr. Minxin Pei is the Tom and Margot Pritzker ’72 Professor of Government and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College. His extensive research focuses on Comparative Politics, Chinese Politics, Democracy, Great Power Rivalry, Authoritarianism, and U.S.-China Relations. He previously served as the inaugural Library of Congress Chair on U.S.-China Relations and was a senior associate and director of the China Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He earned his Ph.D. in government from Harvard University.

FCCC & Embassy of Poland Networking Event
2026-04-16 18:00 - 19:30 | Embassy of Poland, 1 Ritan Rd, Beijing, Chaoyang Park, 100005, China
Join us for an exclusive networking event of the kind you’ll only get here: Diplomats from all 27 EU countries have been invited for an informal mixer with the FCCC Correspondent members. Rub shoulders, build your network, and exchange views on events in China and the geopolitical moment! XV Five-Year Plan, incoming Trump’s visit and other topics of interest will be on the table, along with delicious food and inspiring drinks.
This event is organized in cooperation with the Embassy of Poland. Chatham House rules apply.
Where: Polish Embassy
When: April 16th, 6 pm
Admission is free, but the number of participants on our side is capped at 25.
As this takes place in a diplomatic venue, you need to register (incl. passport number) before April 10.

CANCELLED FCCC Spring Party 2026
2026-04-18 12:00 - 16:00 | SUSU (Longfusi), 38 Qianliang Hutong, Dongcheng, Beijing, China
Join the FCCC for a vibrant Spring Party on April 18 at 12:00 PM! We’ll be gathering at Susu Longfusi for a delicious Vietnamese buffet lunch, complete with free-flow soft drinks, beer, and wine. The entire second floor will be reserved exclusively for our group, creating the perfect setting to relax, connect, and celebrate the season together.
After lunch, those who wish to keep the festivities going are welcome to continue at nearby Jing A Longfusi.
TICKETS
Early Bird prices (until April 8):
FCCC Members: 240 RMB
Guests: 280 RMB
Late prices:
FCCC Members: 280 RMB
Guests: 320 RMB
Youth (14-17): 140 RMB
Children (under 14): Free

FCCC Online Talk. The Myth of the PRC’s Overseas Energy Vulnerability
2026-05-07 09:00 - 10:00 | Google Meet
Drawing on Chinese policy experts and academic sources, this talk challenges the narrative of the PRC’s energy vulnerability. It argues that diversification of supply routes, strategic reserves, and expanding domestic and renewable energy capacity have reduced reliance on maritime chokepoints, enabling Beijing to withstand external disruptions and sustain long-term energy security.
About the Speaker: Daniel Fu is a Research Associate at Harvard Business School where he studies Chinese businesses, U.S.-China relations, and cross-Strait dynamics. He was formerly the editor of the Party Watch Initiative at the Center for Advanced China Research (CACR) in Washington, D.C. He received his M.A. in Political Science with a specialization in International Relations from Columbia University and his B.A. in Political Science from Boston College. His research has been published by the Jamestown Foundation, Pacific Forum, and The Diplomat, and has been featured in global media outlets ranging from the Kyiv Independent to the New York Times.
Download Jamestown Issue here

FCCC Online Talk. What to Expect from the Trump-Xi Summit – and Beyond
2026-05-08 09:00 - 10:00 | Google Meet
Just a few days before U.S. President Donald Trump likely lands in Beijing, Jon A. Czin will share his analysis of the stakes surrounding this highly anticipated visit. Drawing on his extensive experience at the CIA and the US National Security Council, he will dissect China’s approach to this U.S. administration, Washington’s expectations, and the broader outlook for US-China relations.
About the speaker: Jonathan A. Czin is the Michael H. Armacost Chair in Foreign Policy Studies and a fellow in the John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings Institution. He is a former member of the Senior Analytic Service at CIA, where he was one of the US intelligence community’s top China experts.
From 2021 till 2023, he was director for China at the US National Security Council, where he advised on, staffed, and coordinated White House and inter-agency diplomacy with the People’s Republic of China, including all of President Biden’s interactions with President Xi. He also served as advisor for Asia-Pacific security affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and overseas at a CIA field station in Southeast Asia.

FCCC Annual General Meeting 2026
2026-05-21 18:00 - 20:00 | Embassy near Sanlitun, Beijing, China
Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be on May 21 at 6:00 PM at an embassy in the Dongzhimen area. This is our most important meeting of the year. We will reflect on the past year and, most importantly, elect our next board.
For correspondent members who wish to participate virtually, the meeting will also be streamed online.
RSVP to attend in-person, online, or request an absentee ballot below to receive event details.

FCCC Online Talk. China's Demographic Challenges and U.S.-China Relations by Fuxian Yi
2026-06-02 10:00 - 11:30 | Google Meet
China’s population has likely been overstated by at least 130 million, distorting policy assumptions in both countries. By 2030–2035, all of China’s demographic indicators will be worse than those of the U.S., and its economy will not overtake the U.S. The much-anticipated “Thucydides Trap” showdown between the “Chinese lion” and the “American tiger” may ultimately prove to be little more than a frolic between an old sick cat and a skinny dog.
About the Speaker: Yi Fuxian is a senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison who spearheaded the movement against China’s one-child policy. The central and provincial governments in China have issued over a hundred bans against him. His book Big Country with an Empty Nest was initially banned in China in 2007 but was later published by a State Council-affiliated press and ranked No. 1 on China Publishing Today’s “100 Best Books of 2013.” One of his papers was listed among the 116 most influential works on China’s policymaking (1979–2018).

FCCC Online Talk. China in African Media: Between Influence Operations and Decolonisation
2026-06-15 10:00 - 11:30 | Google Meet
Does the PRC’s multimodal engagement with African media promote decolonization or its media propaganda? Drawing on copious interviews with journalists from across the continent, and complementing these with detailed analysis of secondary data, Emeka Umejei explores this question through China’s ever-growing expansion of training, content-sharing, and formal media coordination initiatives across Africa.

About the speaker: Dr. Emeka Umejei has taught at institutions across the continent, including the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, the American University of Nigeria, and the University of Ghana. He has also held research positions at the University of Duisburg-Essen and the University of Tubingen in Germany. His first book Chinese Media in Africa: Perception, Performance, and Paradox (2020) received wide acclaim. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Umejei served as a journalist for several years, writing for leading newspapers in Nigeria, including the Independent and Leadership. He also served as an African correspondent for U.S.-based media outfit LNG Publications. A former Reagan Fascell Democracy (Scholarly Track) at the National Endowment for Democracy(NED) in Washington DC, Umejei coordinates research at the Centre for Analysis of Authoritarian Influence in Africa (CAAIA). He holds a master’s degree in journalism and media studies from Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, and a PhD in journalism and media Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
