"不闻不若闻之, 闻之不若见之, 见之不若知之, 知之不若行之"
“Not having heard something is not as good as having heard it;
having heard it is not as good as having seen it;
having seen it is not as good as knowing it;
knowing it is not as good as putting it into practice.”
- University of Lodz
- Centre for Asian Affairs
Commentaries
Ishiba’s Reflections, Takaichi’s Pragmatic Turn
Paulina Rogoziecka3-minute readKey Points• Liberal-Democratic Party’s Ishiba Shigeru’s last message to Japan’s citizens before stepping down as Prime Minister encourages reflection on the past and…
Category: Uniwersytet
![[Translate to English:] Namalowany na czerwonym drewnie wielobarwny okrąg ze smokiem we wschodnioazjatyckim stylu z napisem ‘commentary’ / A multicolored circle with a dragon painted on red wood in East Asian style with the inscription 'commentary'](/fileadmin/_processed_/f/0/csm_3_68c66a8ca0.png)
Kim Jong Un in Beijing: A Diplomatic Breakthrough?
Joanna Beczkowska13.10.2025Kim Jong Un’s participation in Beijing’s Victory Day celebrations on September 3rd, 2025, marked his first international appearance of this scale since 2011. Standing…
Category: Uniwersytet
Deers, foreigners and inflation: the election of the new PLD leadership
Marcin Socha26.09.2025After Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru announced his intention resign, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) began its search for a new leader. This time, five candidates have…
Category: Uniwersytet
![[Translate to English:] Drewniane tabliczki z życzeniami zapisanymi chińskimi znakami wiszące we wschodnioazjatyckiej świątyni z napisem ‘commentary’ / Wooden signs with wishes written in Chinese characters hanging in an East Asian temple with the inscription 'commentary'](/fileadmin/Jednostki/Osrodek_Spraw_Azjatyckich/COMMENTARY/5.png)
Beyond Schengen Access: Benefits, Risks, and the Path Forward for EU-Thailand Relations
06.12.2024Watchareeya YodprathumAfter Thailand’s former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced his ambitious aspiration to open Schengen visa-free access for Thai citizens, the news became…
Category: Uniwersytet
Sino-Maldivian relations in post-election realities
22.04.2024Przemysław CiborekAs we are all aware, the Indian Ocean, offering strategic maritime routes and numerous economic opportunities, has long been a focal point for regional power dynamics.…
Category: Uniwersytet
Limitations of China’s grey zone tactics
Mateusz Chatys22.04.2024Over the past few years, the Second Thomas Shoal has become the main flashpoint of the dispute in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines. This geographical…
Category: Uniwersytet
Briefs & papers
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND THAI MEDIA NARRATIVES
Mateusz Chatys and Watchareeya Yodprathum conducted a comparative analysis of the narratives presented by the Chinese government and the Thai media concerning key areas of bilateral cooperation.
Category: Uniwersytet
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CHINESE STRATEGIC NARRATIVES AT THE ‘GROUP OF 77’ AND THE UNITED NATIONS FORUM (2013-2023)
Przemysław Ciborek and Raven Yip analysed the narratives of Chinese diplomacy at the general level United Nations forum and the „Group of 77” within the 2013-2023 period.
Category: Uniwersytet
REASONS FOR CHINA'S GROWING ASSERTIVENESS AND PURSUIT OF REFORMING THE UN
In the CAA Brief, Przemysław Ciborek examines the reasons behind the PRC’s growing assertiveness on the international forum. Additionally, China is attempting to implement UN reforms that reflect the…
Category: Uniwersytet
THE US-JAPAN-PHILIPPINES TRILATERAL - BUILDING A NEW SECURITY ARCHITECTURE IN THE REGION?
In CAA Brief Mateusz Chatys argues that the creation of a new U.S.-Japan-Philippines trilateral format could potentially limit some of the benefits the Philippines derives from maintaining direct…
Category: Uniwersytet
CHINA’S MOTIVATIONS OF THE RHETORICAL AMBIGUITY OVER RUSSIA’S WAR IN UKRAINE
Dominik Mierzejewski and Katarzyna Niemiec discuss the basic rhetorical strategy and arguments adopted by the diplomats and policymakers of the People’s Republic of China after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Category: Uniwersytet
GUANGDONG PROVINCE’S TECH DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF CHINA’S DUAL-CIRCULATION VISION
Since the beginning of China’s ongoing tension with and technological blockade by Western countries, Beijing has sought to offset the challenge by enacting the “dual- circulation” economic policy.
Category: Uniwersytet
About us
Analysis
The Centre for Asian Affairs monitors the situation in East Asia and Southeast Asia, prepares analyses, reports, recommendations for state institutions at the central and local level, business environment institutions and entrepreneurs, and the wider public opinion. We combine theoretical knowledge with experience gained during studies and work in China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.
Experience
The research associates and research fellows at the Centre for Asian Affairs are a group of people with experience in Asian countries. All have been dealing with the political, social and economic issues of this region for years. Each of the experts has studied and worked in the region's countries and have a fluent command in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese languages.
Projects
The Centre for Asian Affairs carries out scientific, research and commercial projects related to analysing the political, economic and social situation in Asia. The CAA research associates and research fellows participate in projects financed by the National Science Center, the European Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, KGHM Polska Miedź, as well as local government authorities and business institutions.
Opinions
"The Centre for Asian Affairs at the University of Łódź is the first university based think-tank in Poland which brings together experts in Asian affairs. The monthly publications significantly contribute to the understanding of the dynamics of East Asia, and the CAA team provides support and the factual and independent background for the political and business activities in the region. Through projects carried out in the international consortium EastAsiaNet and with Nankai University, NCN, KGHM, IDUB UŁ or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, the Centre's activities are an important part of Asian research centers on the national and international scale."
Prof. dr hab. Elżbieta Żądzińska
Rector of the University of Lodz
