Individual Academics

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freedom to engage in academic conferences and associations such as CSEUS, and the all-important personal networking –guanxi.

5.2.3 Individual Academics

As mentioned previously, Dai (2008) pointed out that it is practically impossible for most individual academics to know whether they have had any direct influence on policy. It is even more difficult for outsiders to establish this. However, it is possible to consider an individual’s pathways to influence and thus conjecture the likelihood that their research output will reach the desks of the policy practitioners. Even this, in itself, is not enough to prove that practitioners will necessarily take on the ideas of the academics in question; nevertheless, according to the models of research utilisation discussed in section 4.1, on some occasions, policy makers actively request the help and advice of individual or collected groups of academics, and otherwise, the body of research turned out by researchers can ‘enlighten’ policy practitioners to a certain way of thinking.

It is not feasible to present lists of all the academics who may wield influence over policy. Therefore this section presents brief biographies of the seven key scholars, whose names pop up again and again in the European Studies field, both academically and publically, and occasionally in both Chinese and foreign language sources.

The first, perhaps the most prolific European Studies researcher, is Feng Zhongping (冯仲平). Feng is the acting vice-director of CICIR and recently director of CICIR’s Institute of European Studies, (CICIR website) granting him immediate and direct positional influence by dint of the institute’s place in the political hierarchy, as

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well as the right to access confidential materials and to submit his research to the Party leadership through direct channels. Feng began working at the Institute of European Studies in 1994, meaning that he has been in the position for a long time, with the potential to build up a network of peers as well as links with policy makers. (CICIR website) According to his personal profile on 71.cn, Feng studied both his MA and PhD in International Relations at Lancaster University in the UK, adding to his experiential influence and potential foreign contacts. In addition to his work at CICIR, Feng is also a visiting professor at Renmin University and the University of International Relations in Beijing, tapping into the advantages of civilian research institutes, and a member of the CASS IES research faculty. (71.cn) Feng is also called on to act as a media pundit, evidenced by numerous examples of television commentary and opinion pieces, including in the Communist Party’s official mouthpiece, the People’s Daily. This will raise his profile at the public level. In short, Feng Zhongping’s positional, experiential, and expert sources of influence are second to none, and it can be assumed that his personal networks follow this pattern as a result.

Feng is joined in the ranks of influential individuals by his second-in-command, the vice-director of CICIR’s Institute of European Studies, Zhang Jian (张健). (CICIR website) Information on Zhang is far harder to come by; his public profile is considerably lower than that of Feng Zhongping. Nevertheless, he is still able to draw upon similar levels of positional influence, as well as the advantages of CICIR’s direct channels to the leadership and supply of confidential information. Zhang Jian is also increasingly being called upon by the media to supply punditry on European affairs. For example, after Li Keqiang (李克强) became Premier of the PRC, he took an official tour to Europe in May 2013. An interview with Zhang Jian on the importance of the tour

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appeared on chinanews.com, re-reported in other influential online press such as Sohu.

Another opinion piece written by Zhang appeared in the People’s Daily online version.

Searches of academic journal databases demonstrate that Zhang is currently also one of the most productive writers of academic articles. (cnki.net)

The third identified academic is Zhou Hong (周弘), the director of CASS’s IES. She graduated with a PhD from Brandeis University in Massachusetts in 1992 and began working in IES in 1993, (CASS IES website) accumulating long-term experiential influence. In her role as IES director, she is automatically also the president of CAES, thus wielding positional and expert influence. However, as noted, CASS does lack the direct channels of influence available to CICIR scholars. Zhou is also a prominent writer of English language analyses of China’s take on European Studies. Her CASS faculty profile reports that her main research foci are China-EU relations, welfare states, foreign aid, and European modern history. (CASS IES website) Her work appears in popular mainstream media as well, including chinanews.com and a speech at Beijing International Hotel, organised for leading experts to give opinions on current hotspot news. As such Zhou Hong wields clear sway at the peer and public levels of influence.

The fourth scholar is Cui Hongjian (崔洪建), who is the current director of the European Research Section at CIIS. Cui previously worked at the Chinese embassy in Jamaica and the consulate in Mumbai, India. (CIIS website) These positions offer experiential influence, as well as the opportunity to build up personal networks amongst Chinese ambassadors and consuls. Cui has written editorial pieces for Xinhua and Sina news portal in 2013 alone, boosting his public profile in terms of European concerns. Most importantly, as the director of MoFA’s European research institute, Cui will be the Ministry’s first port of call for European issues.

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Chen Zhimin (陈志敏) is the fifth individual academic identified. Chen is the vice-head of Fudan University’s Centre for European Studies, as well as the university’s Dean of International Relations and Public Affairs. (Fudan School of International Relations and Public Affairs (SIRPA) website) In this sense, although Chen’s position lacks the same degree of administrative linkage as the aforementioned academics at semi-official research institutes, his expert role would still be highly respected amongst his peers. He is also a visiting fellow at Renmin University, (CESRUC website) as well as vice-chairman of the China National Association of International Studies (中国国际关系学会, Zhongguo guoji guanxi xuehui), and a consultant to foreign language journals such as the Hague Journal of Diplomacy and Asia Europe journal. (Fudan SIRPA website) It can be seen that Chen has the freedom to work for these external publications in his capacity as civilian research institute scholar. What’s more, according to his Fudan University research biography, Chen is also a prominent writer of English language pieces, turning out a number of both books and articles on a regular basis. (Fudan University website) Chen is thus well-known by foreign students of China-EU relations; as mentioned in Chapter Four, foreign media and press exposure is another indirect source of domestic influence.

Song Xinning (宋新宁) is the director of Renmin University’s Centre for European Studies, and also worked as vice-director of the Politics Department at Renmin University. (CESRUC website) Song has worked as executive director of the Brussels Institute of Contemporary China Studies, as well as taking a post as visiting professor at the United Nations University in Bruges. (Shambaugh et al., 2008) Song thus has a strong presence in Europe, based in the centre of the European Union administration, Belgium, building his experiential influence, as well as compelling

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expert influence. Amongst many international relations research interests, Song is also an expert in European politics and diplomacy, as well as China’s foreign policy and relations (Renmin University website). As such he is well-placed to analyse the implications of potential policy choices for both the Chinese and the Europeans.

Similarly to his Fudan University counterpart Chen Zhimin and IES’s Zhou Hong, Song Xinning is also well-known for his English language contributions, with a clear profile for offering Chinese insights into European affairs.

The seventh and final academic is Zhu Liqun (朱立群), the head of China Foreign Affairs University European Studies Centre (ESC), as well as vice-President of the university and assistant to the President of CFAU, the renowned international relations expert Qin Yaqing (秦亚青). Zhu began working at CFAU in 1995, teaching international relations theory and history, international security studies, and European Studies.

(CFAU ESC website) Outside of her CFAU roles, Zhu is also Secretary-General of the China National Association of International Studies and director of the China-EU Association (CEUA, 中国欧盟协会, Zhongguo Oumeng xiehui), which aims to promote greater exchange, cooperation, and understanding between China and EU member states. This can be seen as a key non-governmental Track II diplomatic organ for the European field. Once again, Zhu is also well-known amongst foreign scholars of European affairs due to her many English language contributions, currently holding the post of vice editor-in-chief of Foreign Affairs Review journal. (Shambaugh et al, 2008) Zhu is also called upon by the Chinese media to offer commentaries, for example in a People’s Daily piece in which she reiterated that her recent major research focus is Sino-European relations. In short, Zhu Liqun possesses strong influence both amongst peers and the public, mainly as a result of expert and experiential sources.

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Joining the ranks of these seven influential career academics, there are also other notable voices in European Studies, including other scholars at the aforementioned research institutes and university departments, such as Fudan’s Dai Bingran (戴炳然) and CFAU’s Zhao Huaipu (赵怀普). In addition, many former employees of embassies and consulates in European countries have forged careers as academics and political pundits. In this category, two important names are Ruan Zongze (阮宗泽) who has worked in the Chinese embassies in the United Kingdom and the United States, and Mei Zhaorong (梅兆荣), former ambassador to East Germany.