China's Silk Road and Europe

China's infrastructure project of a New Silk Road, also known as the Belt and Road Initiative, is intended to open up continuous trade routes to Africa, Asia and Europe for the country. This is associated with generous investments in the countries concerned, which will thus be tied more closely to China. Last spring, Italy became the first G7 country to join the Chinese initiative. This step gave rise to concerns in Germany, for example, that Italy was becoming too dependent on China. What does China's involvement mean for Europe from an economic and geopolitical perspective? Dr. Manuel Vermeer, a long-time lecturer at the East Asia Institute and a specialist on China and India, will address this question in his lecture at the University of Mannheim. The lecture will take place on November 19 at 7 p.m. (Room O 135) as part of an event organized by the Young Europeans Heidelberg-Mannheim.