Understanding Asia.
Informing decisions.
At the Leiden Asia Centre, we believe that insight drives action. Our research into the most pressing societal and geopolitical issues across Asia builds a crucial bridge with Europe—ensuring that the decisions made today lead to meaningful impact tomorrow. We work with government, academia and media to make expertise on Asia widely accessible and practically useful.
CKN Knowledge Session: The Eagle and the Dragon – Trump, Xi, and the Future of US–China Relations
23 June 2026 – 15:30-17:00. Den Haag/online.
As tensions between the United States and China continue to shape global politics, questions surrounding trade, technology, security, and Taiwan have become increasingly important. How does the Trump administration view its relationship with Beijing? What role does Taiwan play in US strategic thinking? And what are the implications for Europe?
Drawing on his expertise in geopolitics, trade, and transatlantic relations, Rem Korteweg will offer a Washington perspective on the future of US–China relations and the broader international order.
Upcoming events
- Online
- The Hague
The China Knowledge Network (CKN) invites you to a Knowledge Session with Rem Korteweg, who recently returned from Washington, DC, and will share insights into current American thinking on China. As tensions between the United States and China continue to shape global politics, questions surrounding…
Speaker(s)
Rem Korteweg
- Online
- The Hague
We are pleased to invite you to the presentation of the new China Knowledge Network report on Chinese Investment in EU-seaports: In search of tipping points for economic competitiveness and national security. Ports are critical infrastructure. As the new EU Port Strategy writes, they are…
Speaker(s)
Bart Kuipers
Frans-Paul van der Putten
Xiaoxue Martin
Meet the experts
Our experts offer insights on current developments in China, India, Japan, North and South Korea, the Indo-Pacific, and Southeast Asia. They explore themes such as digitalization, geopolitics, human rights and diplomacy. Whether part of our core team or external collaborators, our experts are available for media commentary, panel talks and public dialogue.
Indonesia, Diplomacy, Indonesia-Netherlands relations, Law & Governance, Public administration
East Asian International Relations, Post-Western IR, Genealogy of IR Knowledge, Identity Politics, Strategic Thinking in East Asia
Publications
Over the past decade, export controls have evolved from a specialised arms control and non-proliferation tool to a comprehensive mechanism for the maintenance of strategic economic advantages in the competition between great powers. China has played a central role in…
Artificial intelligence is reshaping how disinformation spreads. This report examines how AI intersects with contested information flows in Taiwan, one of the world’s most targeted democracies when it comes to foreign influence and digital manipulation. Drawing on interviews with fact-checkers,…
Latest Asia analyses
About the Leiden Asia Centre
Partners in Research & Knowledge
Asia is changing fast – and those changes matter here, too. At the Leiden Asia Centre, we explore how developments in Asia impact the Netherlands and Europe. From our office at Leiden University – one of Europe’s leading centres for Asian Studies – we offer scholarly expertise with real world impact, bridging knowledge between Asia and the Netherlands. Our projects go beyond academic research; we also organize public events, offer training, and publish work that sparks debate and shapes understanding.
Our services
The Leiden Asia Centre offers practical, concrete and research-based insights on Asia to policymakers, business executives and journalists. We conduct commissioned research, offer training programmes, host public events, and support stakeholders with region-specific knowledge. Our activities are grounded in academic expertise and aimed at informing policy, strengthening understanding and supporting informed engagement with Asia.
Research
We carry out research on Asia-related issues, focusing on regional and global (re)ordering and technological transformations. Our regional focus is East, South and Southeast Asia. Our projects result in accessible public reports that inform policy and deepen understanding of Asia’s role and interests in global developments.
Training
We provide expert-led training sessions and briefings for government, business and media, and other organizations looking to strengthen their Asia expertise and respond more effectively to regional developments. Our training sessions are professionally moderated, resulting in lively exchanges and insightful meetings.
Media & Commentary
Our experts regularly contribute to public debates through media appearances, interviews, and op-eds, using academic knowledge to provide in-depth understanding of news developments for general audiences.
Events
We organize lectures, panels, and conferences that bring together researchers, policymakers, and the public. Professionally moderated, these events foster informed discussion and create space for new ideas on Asia in the Netherlands and beyond.