TCAS China Roundtable 2026

China's rapid economic transformation, technological innovation, and expanding global influence have made its development model one of the defining issues in contemporary international affairs. As Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2026, discussions on global governance, sustainable development, economic resilience, and international partnerships are timelier than ever. This roundtable provides an opportunity to examine these issues through the lens of China's evolving role in the international system.

Hosted by the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies (TCAS), the event brings together leading scholars from Ireland and the United Kingdom to explore contemporary developments in China from interdisciplinary perspectives, including political science, international relations, economics, engineering, and Asian Studies. Designed as a moderated conversation rather than a series of formal presentations, the roundtable encourages dialogue across disciplines and between academia, policymakers, and the wider public.

The programme is organised around two interconnected themes: China, Governance, and the Changing Global Order, and China's Development Model: Economy, Technology, and Global Interdependence. Together, these discussions will explore how China's governance model, industrial policy, technological innovation, and international engagement are reshaping regional and global dynamics, while offering fresh perspectives on the opportunities and challenges facing the twenty-first-century world.

As Trinity College Dublin's interdisciplinary hub for Asian Studies, TCAS is committed to fostering research excellence, international collaboration, and informed public engagement on Asia's global significance. Through events such as this, TCAS seeks to strengthen Ireland's academic engagement with Asia and contribute to evidence-based dialogue on issues of global importance.

12:00-12:50 Registration

12:50–13:50 Lunch Reception & Networking

14:00–14:05 Welcome & Introductions

14:05–14:25 Honorary guest Remarks

14:25–15:25 Roundtable Conversation – Panel 1

China’s Development Model: Economy, Technology, and Global Interdependence

Chair:

· Professor Nathan Hill (Trinity College Dublin)

Speakers:

· Harun Šiljak (Trinity College Dublin)

· Niall Duggan (University College Cork)

· Seamus Grimes (University of Galway)

15:25–15:40 Coffee Break

15:40–16:40 Roundtable Conversation – Panel 2

China, Governance, and the Changing Global Order.

Chair:

· Professor Nathan Hill (Trinity College Dublin)

Speakers:

· Andrew Cottey (University College Cork)

· Helena Sheehan (Dublin City University)

· Kiri Paramore (University College Cork)

· Richard Sakwa (University of Kent)

16:40–16:45 Closing Reflections & Acknowledgements

Professor Andrew Cottey is Professor of Political Science at University College Cork and a leading expert on international security, European foreign policy, and global governance. His research focuses on great power politics, international order, security cooperation, and European Union external relations. He has published extensively on international relations theory, NATO, European security, and global political change. His work examines how geopolitical competition and shifting power balances shape international institutions and diplomatic engagement. Professor Cottey brings a broad comparative perspective to discussions of China's growing international influence, considering its implications for global governance, international security, and the evolving international order.

Dr Harun Šiljak is Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin. His research spans cyber-physical systems, optimisation, complex networks, systems engineering, and technology policy, with applications across engineering and sustainable development. His interdisciplinary work combines mathematical modelling with technological innovation to address complex societal challenges. More recently, Dr Šiljak has developed an interest in China's concept of ecological civilisation and its implications for sustainable development, technological planning, and environmental governance. His engineering perspective brings a distinctive interdisciplinary dimension to this roundtable, connecting technological innovation with broader discussions of industrial policy, sustainability, and green development.

Professor Helena Sheehan is an internationally recognised scholar of the history and philosophy of science, political thought, and Marxist theory. She has taught and conducted research at Dublin City University and has held visiting appointments at universities across Europe, North America, Africa, and China. Her work examines the relationships between science, ideology, politics, and social change, with particular attention to socialism, global capitalism, and intellectual history. She is the author of numerous influential books and articles, including Marxism and the Philosophy of Science and Navigating the Zeitgeist. Professor Sheehan has maintained long-standing academic engagement with China and has written extensively on China's development within broader debates on modernity and global political economy. At this roundtable, she brings a distinctive interdisciplinary perspective on governance, ideology, and China's place in a changing world.

Professor Kiri Paramore is Professor of Asian Studies at University College Cork and one of Europe's leading scholars of East Asian intellectual history. His research explores the intersections of political thought, religion, governance, and cultural exchange across East Asia, with particular expertise in China and Japan. He has published widely on Confucianism, political philosophy, and the historical development of East Asian societies, including the acclaimed books Japanese Confucianism and Religion and Orientalism in Asian Studies. His work examines how ideas shape political institutions and international engagement, offering valuable comparative perspectives on governance and state development. At this roundtable, Professor Paramore will contribute insights into the intellectual traditions that continue to influence China's political and social development within the broader context of East Asia.

Professor Nathan Hill is Head of the School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences and Director of the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies (TCAS) at Trinity College Dublin. An internationally recognised scholar of Sino-Tibetan historical linguistics, Tibetan philology, and the history of the Chinese language, his research focuses on the reconstruction of the Trans-Himalayan language family, Old Tibetan, Old Chinese, and comparative linguistics. He has published extensively on the languages, writing systems, and intellectual traditions of Asia. As Head of School and Director of TCAS, Professor Hill has led major initiatives in teaching, research, international collaboration, and public engagement, strengthening Trinity's position as a leading centre for Asian Studies. He chairs this roundtable as part of TCAS's commitment to promoting interdisciplinary dialogue on China's development, international relations, and contemporary global challenges.

Dr Niall Duggan is Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies at University College Cork and a leading specialist in China's foreign policy and international relations. His research focuses on China's role in global governance, EU–China relations, China–Africa relations, and international political economy. He has published extensively on China's expanding global influence and is actively involved in research examining China's engagement with international institutions and developing regions. Dr Duggan's work combines empirical research with policy analysis, providing valuable insights into how China's external relations shape global governance and international cooperation. At this roundtable, he will contribute expertise on China's international engagement and its implications for an evolving global order.

Professor Seamus Grimes is Emeritus Professor at the University of Galway, where he specialised in Geography. His research in recent years has focused mainly on foreign investment in both Ireland and China. He has published in a wide range of international journals on topics such as the emergence of Ireland’s internationally trade services, and more recently on foreign technology investment in China in the context of China’s new indigenous innovation policy.

Professor Richard Sakwa is Emeritus Professor of Russian and European Politics at the University of Kent and one of the world's foremost authorities on Russian politics, Eurasian geopolitics, and international relations. He has authored more than twenty books, including Russia Against the Rest and The Putin Paradox, and is widely recognised for his analysis of the changing global order and great power competition. His recent research has focused increasingly on the strategic partnership between Russia and China and the geopolitical consequences of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Drawing on decades of scholarship, Professor Sakwa examines how the evolving Sino-Russian relationship is reshaping international politics and the future balance of global power.