China dominated my life for the last four years

In early 2016, I studied Mandarin Chinese in Beijing. September 2016 untill September 2018, I completed two masters including one at Peking University on China's politics and foreign policy. After graduation, I finally took the cultural ‘deep-dive’. I worked with 20+ Chinese colleagues as a researcher at the International Institute of Green Finance, a Chinese research institute in Beijing (working language: Mandarin).

Upon my return to the Netherlands, I noticed that China was getting more attention in the public debate. 'At last,' I thought. China's rise is the most important geopolitical development since the fall of the Soviet Union. Getting to know China's politics, history, economy and trade culture is therefore essential for the Netherlands. However, we have some catching up to do. Journalists can usually name the majority of the 18 Democratic presidential candidates for an election that will not take place until the end of 2020. Do they also know who the current Chinese prime minister is?

With Teer Strategy , my consulting firm for strategy formulation and geopolitical analysis, I contribute to this catch-up. I wrote contributions on China for De Volkskrant , het Financieële Dagblad and Nederlands Dagblad. I also acted as a political commentator on the BNR Nieuwsradio China Podcast , addressed the NAHSS closing ceremony and organized a workshop for Are We Europe. Finally, I enjoy helping governments, companies and other organizations with tailored advice on strategic issues concerning China.

In case you are now thinking 'that guy probably always wanted to become a China specialist; no doubt he studied Sinology in Leiden' then you are wrong. Anno 2014 I had no interest in China. My fellow students at Amsterdam University College and I were focused on 'hipper' topics such as American foreign policy, European unification and Western political philosophy. I, too, had a blind spot for everything in the East.

Until I came across a brightly colored promotional flyer showing an elegant Chinese sailing ship bobbing in front of the Hong Kong skyline. The summer school advertised on it offered 100 honours students a fully catered seven-week stay (including academic, business and cultural programme) in four Chinese megacities.

Shrugging my shoulders, I decided to give it a shot. I enrolled in the Netherlands-Asia Honours Summer School (NAHSS). During the third week of the NAHSS, I knew for sure: after my bachelor's, I'm moving to China.

The NAHSS is the chance to get to know China in all its facets. This is not only extremely fun, but also important. After all, the Netherlands needs:
1. Policy makers and academics who know China's political system and foreign policy;
2. Businessmen who understand Chinese business culture; and
3. Engineers who keep up with China's lightning-fast technological development.

NAHSS alumni, with their diverse academic backgrounds, are perfectly positioned to take on all these roles together. They will make the Netherlands "future proof" in a world where China is claiming its position.