Since 2014, Stiftung Mercator has been promoting relations between civil society actors from China, Germany, and Europe through its Beijing Representative Office. To date, Stiftung Mercator has supported 25 local projects with around four million euros. It is currently the only private German foundation that is continuously active in the country.
Together with project partners in China and Europe, the foundation has facilitated dialogue in Germany and Europe for over 100 secretaries general and employees of Chinese foundations. In recent years, over 30 European foundations have been given the opportunity to visit China and exchange ideas with their counterparts there.
“Only through our office in Beijing, we were able to drive forward these activities in China,” said Dr Markus Piduhn, Managing Director of Stiftung Mercator, during the anniversary celebrations in front of 70 invited guests from German-Chinese civil society. “We will continue to be very engaged here in the coming years.”
The Beijing office plays an outstanding role in German-Chinese relations and civil society, emphasised Dr Patricia Flor, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to China, in her welcoming address during the festivities. “Dialogue and cooperation with China are important to us. I am delighted to have a partner in Stiftung Mercator who shares this attitude and is committed to a broad exchange at various levels.”
The representative of the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs (MoCA) also recognised the Beijing office’s contribution to German-Chinese exchange and highlighted the interest in continued good cooperation with Stiftung Mercator.
Exchange as key component of China strategy
Engaging with the world’s second-largest economy remains important. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, growing geopolitical tensions, and the INGO law, which regulates the activities of foreign non-governmental organisations in China, the Beijing office has continued its work. “Especially in challenging times, Stiftung Mercator wants to strengthen the basic knowledge of each other between China and Germany,” says Zhang Yan, Head of the Representative Office. The aim is to develop and expand competences for intercultural understanding between civil societies and to enable international cooperation to solve global challenges.
The office in Beijing is a key component of Stiftung Mercator’s China portfolio. It includes numerous funding projects in China, Germany, and Europe as well as the two partner organisations Bildungsnetzwerk China (BNC) and the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin.
CONTACT
Lothar Kuhn | Director Communications
T +49 201-245 22-36 | lothar.kuhn@stiftung-mercator.de
Zhang Yan | Head of the Representative Office
T +86 10-852 76966 | yan.zhang@stiftung-mercator.de
Dr. Christian Straube | Project Manager
T +49 201-245 22-735 | christian.straube@stiftung-mercator.de
ABOUT STIFTUNG MERCATOR
Stiftung Mercator is a private, independent, and non-profit foundation that acts on the basis of scientific expertise and practical project experience. Since 1996, it has been advocating for a society based on solidarity and participation. To this end, it supports and develops projects that improve participation and cohesion in an increasingly diverse community. Stiftung Mercator stands up for a cosmopolitan, democratic Europe, a digital transformation of state and society based on fundamental rights, and socially just climate change mitigation. Stiftung Mercator pursues activities in Germany, Europe, and worldwide. It feels particularly connected to the Ruhr area, home of its founder’s family and the foundation’s headquarters.
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