China’s Development Model, the Green Transition, and the Changing Global Order

Event Introduction

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.

Schedule

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.

Description supplied by the event organiser.