I am Manuel Fischer (马文飞), a graduate in International Relations and International Business with an international academic background developed across four different countries. This experience has contributed to a strong intercultural awareness and a comparative approach to global political and economic dynamics.
Alongside my formal studies, I have participated in international programmes specifically focused on China, which have allowed me to deepen my understanding of the country’s economic environment and its interaction with global and European markets. These experiences have reinforced my long-term academic interest in China-related issues and cross-regional economic relations.
I am currently attending Chinese language courses at the Confucius Institute and preparing for an extended stay in China, where I intend to further develop my language skills through immersion and continue my independent study of the local market and institutional context.
As part of my involvement with the East Asia Resource Library at the University of Ljubljana, I engaged with scholarly resources and academic networks dedicated to East Asian studies. Within this context, I authored a research paper on China’s space strategy, examining its technological development and geopolitical implications within the international system.
Through academic initiatives and formal meetings, I had the opportunity to engage directly with Chinese representatives and researchers, including experts affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). Among them were Liu Zuokui, Deputy Director of the Institute of European Studies and Secretary-General of the China–CEEC Think Tanks Network, and Zhang Chao, Chief of the European International Relations Department at the Institute of European Studies, CASS. These exchanges provided first-hand insights into Chinese perspectives on Europe, regional cooperation, and long-term strategic planning.
In response to growing academic interest, I co-founded a Group of Friendship and Cooperation with China within the Student Association for International Relations (Globallis). The initiative aimed to promote structured dialogue, academic exchange, and critical discussion on China-related topics among students and researchers.
Living and studying in multiple European countries enabled sustained interaction with Chinese students and professionals. Informal dialogue on culture, language, governance, and social norms offered valuable perspectives on how Chinese and European worldviews diverge and intersect, particularly in relation to work culture, political participation, and international perceptions.
Participation in an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme jointly organised by the University of Torino, INALCO, and the University of Ljubljana, focused on China’s role in the transformation of the global political and economic order. The programme addressed key themes including China’s domestic political economy, EU–China relations, global governance, and international security, with particular attention to China’s long-term strategic positioning. Academic activities included seminars and discussions with leading scholars in China studies and international political economy, among them Giovanni B. Andornino, Giuseppe Gabusi, Zhang Jian, Anastas Vangeli, and Gregory Chin.
