China is here to stay
Peter Ho, professor of Chinese economy, frequently travels to China for his research. He advises the Dutch government about China, and vice versa. And that is necessary, because China is here to stay.

Economic giant
For Peter Ho, China is not just a country. Almost all of our products are imported from Asia. But what do we really know about economic giant China? Peter Ho clears some misconceptions.

'China is much more layered and complex than you think. Many Dutch people for example think it's a dictatorial one party state. However, the parliament has the right of amendment. There are opposition parties, and there is much deliberation, just like in the Netherlands.' These are interesting facts unknown to the public. 'There is little emphasis on China in the Dutch education system. The whole topic is absent there. That is disproportionate to the global significance of China.'

Studying Chinese, Japanese and Korean
Peter Ho and his colleagues at Leiden University are doing unique research. Chinese, Japanese and Korean Studies in the Netherlands are only offered in Leiden. Within these tracks, the language, history, culture and economy of these major countries are dealt with. For extra language training, internships or research, a stay in the country of interest itself is also highly recommended and a valuable addition to the program.

Original article in Dutch

Research profile: The Asian Challenge

BA Chinese Studies
MA Chinese Studies