How is China's role within the international order evolving? How are relations between China and Italy, the EU and the liberal democratic world in general evolving?

China as mediator

https://www.axios.com/2023/03/10/iran-saudi-arabia-resume-relations-china-mediation

China and the EU (2022-23)

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eu-china-relations-factsheet_en

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/china/european-union-and-china_en?s=166

https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2023/02/02/eu-china-relations-disintegrating-on-autopilot/

https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/02/16/joint-public-letter-eu-should-prioritize-rights-relations-china-after-findings

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/edn-20220401-1

https://www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-joe-biden-meeting-washington-march-2023/

https://www.dentons.com/en/insights/articles/2023/february/20/us-eu-and-china-forced-labor-trade-restrictions-and-countermeasures

https://www.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/CINA-REL-BILATERALI-ottobre-2021_ITA_EN.pdf

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2021/03/22/eu-foreign-ministers-to-discuss-sanctions-on-china-and-myanmar

https://www.reuters.com/world/eu-extends-human-rights-sanctions-including-chinese-officials-2021-11-24/

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2443654/eu-set-to-renew-sanctions-on-chinese-officials-accused-of-human-rights-violations-in-xinjiang

https://www.csis.org/analysis/despite-beijings-charm-offensive-eu-china-investment-agreement-not-coming-back

https://www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-joe-biden-meeting-washington-march-2023/

https://www.ft.com/content/9bfe7e7e-83b7-47f2-8d59-e180215d534a

https://sanctionsnews.bakermckenzie.com/eu-agrees-to-restrict-sensitive-exports-to-hong-kong/

https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/italy-china-relations-2021-time-regroup-29162

https://ecfr.eu/article/still-a-sceptic-how-italys-new-government-could-influence-the-eus-approach-to-china/

https://decode39.com/5761/china-italy-bri-mou-renew/

https://www.avvenire.it/economia/pagine/dopo-la-pandemia-e-la-guerra-cosa-resta-della-via-della-seta

https://lavoce.info/archives/100199/inseguendo-scivolose-vie-della-seta-in-italia/

Italy and China (2022-23)

https://www.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/CINA-REL-BILATERALI-ottobre-2021_ITA_EN.pdf

https://www.affaritaliani.it/esteri/italia-cina-wang-yi-meloni-840404.html

https://www.startmag.it/mondo/governo-meloni-cina-intelligence/

https://www.italiaoggi.it/news/per-la-cina-il-progetto-della-via-della-seta-resta-attuale-lo-ha-spiegato-il-capo-della-diplomazia-cinese-2593579

https://finanza.lastampa.it/News/2022/11/16/g20-meloni-incontra-xi-rilanciare-scambi-italia-cina-/MTY1XzIwMjItMTEtMTZfVExC

https://decode39.com/5761/china-italy-bri-mou-renew/

https://www.railfreight.com/beltandroad/2023/02/15/whats-the-future-for-the-china-italy-relationship/?gdpr=accept

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/202302/t20230219_11027122.html

https://tradingeconomics.com/italy/exports/china

https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/italy/total-exports-to-china

https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/chn/partner/ita#:~:text=About,-%23permalink%20to%20section&text=Overview%20In%20December%202022%2C%20China,%242.67B%20to%20%242.18B.

https://www.geopolitica.info/governo-meloni-questione-taiwan-atlantismo/

Russia and China (2022-23)

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/22/economy/china-russia-economic-ties-ukraine-intl-hnk/index.html

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chinas-march-imports-russian-oil-may-hit-record-shiptracking-data-2023-03-02/

https://www.bbc.com/news/60571253

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/1/russia-vetoes-un-resolution-on-ukraine-annexation-china-abstains

https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/02/14/china-and-russia-fail-defund-un-human-rights-work

and voting on Ukraine at the UN

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/16/mapping-where-every-country-stands-on-the-russia-ukraine-war

China and the US (2022-23)

https://www.china-briefing.com/news/us-china-relations-in-the-biden-era-a-timeline/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-12-31/us-china-rivalry-will-shape-2023-for-the-whole-world-new-economy-saturday

https://www.cato.org/blog/2022-us-china-trade-data-shows-no-signs-widespread-decoupling

Other examples of recent events and topics that you could refer to:

https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asia-and-the-pacific/east-asia/china/report-china/

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3153088/chinas-unfair-trade-practices-draw-heavy-fire-wto-trade-review

https://www.ncafp.org/2016/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/US_China-Tech.pdf

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-parliament-germany-industry-idUSKBN2B31T9

https://www.reuters.com/world/eu-extends-human-rights-sanctions-including-chinese-officials-2021-11-24/

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2021/03/31/eu-china-sanctions-threats-and-boycotts-see-relations-enter-downward-spiral

https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/why-chinas-global-image-getting-worse

https://www.euronews.com/2021/11/25/uk-china-eu

https://www.ifri.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/etnc_2021_-_chinas_soft_power_in_europe_-_falling_on_hard_times.pdf

https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/10/13/china-s-influence-in-southeastern-central-and-eastern-europe-vulnerabilities-and-resilience-in-four-countries-pub-85415

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/08/eu-china-tensions-and-its-impact-on-europe-investment-deal.html

Watch the video. https://www.thechicagocouncil.org/events/evolution-china-us-relations-2021

https://www.theguardian.com/world/china

https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2021-01-28/china-fires-back-at-blinkens-condemnation-regarding-uighurs-no-genocide-period

https://www.politico.eu/article/mike-pompeo-us-warning-to-italy-youre-being-exploited-by-china/

https://foreignpolicy.com/category/china-brief/

Some background information to help you write an essay

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/28/chinas-leaders-seeking-to-draw-strength-from-weakness-in-2020

China’s economy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_China

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/11/16/rcep-a-new-trade-agreement-that-will-shape-global-economics-and-politics/

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202101/1214068.shtml

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/05/china-five-year-plan-emissions

https://www.investopedia.com/chinas-economic-strength-to-continue-into-2021-5100844

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/04/economy/china-gdp-growth-two-sessions-intl-hnk/index.html

China and BRICS

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bloomberg/news/2023-02-15-expansion-proposal-will-be-on-the-agenda-for-brics-in-2023/

https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/brics-future/

https://www.energyintel.com/00000186-7128-dbd8-aba7-ffaefa070000

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61894760

https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2023/01/01/putins-new-year-messages-embrace-brazil-china-and-india-brics/

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/china-backs-brics-meet-in-india-xi-may-attend-it/articleshow/81162638.cms

https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/covid-19-magnifies-brics-divergence-as-china-solidifies-lead-61053247

political evolution

https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/chinas-political-economy-foreign-and-security-policy-2023

https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/chinas-competing-ideological-and-economic-policy-objectives-2023

https://thediplomat.com/2023/02/where-is-chinas-politics-headed-in-2023/

https://www.startmag.it/mondo/cina-politica-estera-2023/#:~:text=Il%20dossier%20Taiwan%2C%20in%20particolare,piano%20nella%20politica%20estera%20cinese.

https://merics.org/en/briefing/china-2021-agenda-setting-anniversaries-and-potential-conflict

https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/02/five-bad-things-in-chinas-future-and-three-good-ones/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/30/the-guardian-view-on-the-peoples-republic-of-china-at-70-whose-history

https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/china/

http://www.iberchina.org/files/2017/china_2021_chatham.pdf

China and internal dissent

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/05/953515627/facial-recognition-and-beyond-journalist-ventures-inside-chinas-surveillance-sta?t=1615049011365

https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/china/

https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/china-and-tibet

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-02-17/dissent-is-one-export-china-doesn-t-want

https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/china/

https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/trend-lines/28360/leaked-files-detail-xi-s-crackdown-in-xinjiang-and-some-internal-dissent

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/mar/05/sbs-suspends-broadcasts-from-chinese-state-run-channels-over-forced-confessions

Tibet

https://www.hrw.org/asia/china-and-tibet

https://freedomhouse.org/country/tibet/freedom-world/2020

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinicization_of_Tibet

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_sovereignty_debate

https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/china-and-tibet

Hong Kong

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_Hong_Kong_protests

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/01/world/asia/hong-kong-protest.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/04/hong-kong-court-denies-bail-to-32-detainees-under-security-law

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/05/china-unveils-hong-kong-electoral-reform-as-beijing-tightens-grip

Taiwan

https://www.cfr.org/blog/top-conflicts-watch-2021-danger-us-china-confrontation-over-taiwan

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/us-congressional-commission-hears-china-may-force-taiwan-crisis-in-2021/

https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/02/26/mainland-china-is-in-no-position-to-take-taiwan-by-force/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/28/china-warns-taiwan-independence-means-warhttps://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/13/asia/taiwan-china-election-tsai-beijing-intl-hnk/index.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/11/world/asia/taiwan-election-china.html

China's Uighurs

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-55794071

https://www.amnesty.org/en/get-involved/take-action/tell-china-to-close-its-secret-reeducation-camps-for-ethnic-minorities/

https://theintercept.com/2021/01/29/china-uyghur-muslim-surveillance-police/

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chinas-repression-uighurs-xinjiang

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-45474279

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/09/china-up-to-one-million-detained/

Mongolia

https://thediplomat.com/2020/09/chinas-crackdown-on-mongolian-culture/

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-09-23/inner-mongolia-china-model-minority-crackdown

China and its neighbours

https://www.e-ir.info/2021/01/27/continuity-and-change-chinas-assertiveness-in-the-south-china-sea/

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/11/16/rcep-a-new-trade-agreement-that-will-shape-global-economics-and-politics/

https://thediplomat.com/2021/02/china-australia-slump-continues-to-deepen/

https://chinamatters.org.au/policy-brief/policy-brief-june/

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/us-concerned-over-beijings-attempts-to-intimidate-neighbours-supports-peaceful-resolution-to-india-china-border-dispute/articleshow/80779986.cms?from=mdr

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/12/49283c419cfd-focus-china-may-extend-olive-branch-to-neighbors-in-2021-ahead-of-key-events.html

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202102/1214598.shtml

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3111754/can-china-japan-and-south-korea-follow-rcep-their-own-free

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/26/india-china-fms-to-set-up-hotline-as-border-crisis-eases

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-25/why-china-building-border-walls-with-vietnam-myanmar/13068344

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202101/1211609.shtml

https://www.fpri.org/article/2021/01/taking-flight-china-japan-and-south-korea-get-aircraft-carriers/

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/a-history-of-boorishness-chronicling-chinas-border-brawls-in-the-neighbourhood/articleshow/76732423.cms?from=mdr

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/2187487/chinas-military-build-you-aint-seen-nothing-yet-expert-says

https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/territorial-disputes-south-china-sea

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_disputes_in_the_South_China_Sea

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%E2%80%93Japan_relations

https://www.scmp.com/topics/china-japan-relations

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3046218/china-sees-myanmar-stepping-stone-indian-ocean-energy-security

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/explained/article/3043054/more-india-china-border-talks-agenda-wang-yi-visits-new-delhi

https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/09/article/why-china-is-picking-a-fight-with-vietnam/

https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Mongolia-needs-allies-to-withstand-China-s-looming-threat              

Belt and Road Initiative

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/01/06/coronavirus-hasnt-killed-belt-and-road/

https://www.silkroadbriefing.com/news/2021/02/09/the-belt-road-initiative-investments-in-2021-and-future-outlook/

https://www.exportiamo.it/eventi-e-formazione/15189/belt-road-exhibition-2021-edizione-digitale/

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuova_via_della_seta https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_and_Road_Initiative https://www.theguardian.com/cities/ng-interactive/2018/jul/30/what-china-belt-road-initiative-silk-road-explainer https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/21/chinese-loans-expose-pacific-islands-to-risk-of-unsustainable-debt-report-finds                                                                              https://www.csis.org/give-and-take-bri-africa

and Italy https://www.euronews.com/2019/03/24/china-and-italy-sign-silk-road-project

https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2019/03/22/news/italia_cina_accordi_imprese_xi_jinping_porti_trieste_genova_panda_bond-222247125/

China and the EU (up to 2021)

https://www.ispionline.it/en/pubblicazione/europe-china-relations-2021-prospects-and-constraints-29138

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2021-0071_EN.html

https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=2115

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/21/china-deal-damages-eus-human-rights-credibility-meps-to-say

https://thediplomat.com/2021/01/the-pitfalls-of-the-china-eu-comprehensive-agreement-on-investment/

https://www.businessinsider.com/china-human-rights-european-parliament-concerns-over-eu-china-deal-2021-1?IR=T

https://eeas.europa.eu/topics/external-investment-plan/34728/eu-china-relations-factsheet_en

https://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/china/

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/communication-eu-china-a-strategic-outlook.pdf

https://www.bakermckenzie.com/en/newsroom/2020/01/chinese-investment-in-europe-na

https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/62404/2018-human-rights-and-democracy-country-update-%E2%80%93-peoples-republic-china_en

https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/60545/european-union-and-china-held-their-37th-human-rights-dialogue_en

https://thediplomat.com/2019/03/europes-divided-approach-to-china-and-human-rights/

Relations with Italy (up to 2021)

https://www.ispionline.it/en/pubblicazione/italy-china-relations-2021-time-regroup-29162

https://thediplomat.com/tag/china-italy-relations/

https://www.esteri.it/mae/it/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/retediplomatica/2020/12/pechino-al-via-il-china-italy-business-dialogue.html

https://www.esteri.it/mae/it/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/retediplomatica/2020/11/hong-kong-per-fellini100-iniziano-le-celebrazioni.html

https://www.esteri.it/mae/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/eventi/2020/01/italia-cina-2020-anno-della-cultura-e-del-turismo.html

https://www.esteri.it/mae/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/comunicati/2020/02/scalfarotto-a-china-we-are-with-you.html

https://www.esteri.it/mae/it/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/comunicati/ix-riunione-del-comitato-congiunto-italia-cina.html

https://www.esteri.it/mae/it/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/comunicati/missione-del-ministro-degli-esteri-luigi-di-maio-in-cina.html

https://www.esteri.it/mae/it/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/comunicati/comunicato-congiunto.html

https://iicpechino.esteri.it/iic_pechino/it/

http://istitutoculturacinese.it/

China and Russia (up to 2021)

https://thediplomat.com/2021/01/russias-romance-with-china-is-all-about-keeping-up-appearances/

https://thediplomat.com/2021/02/will-the-biden-administration-push-russia-and-china-closer-together/

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-china-military-idUSKBN2A32KK

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3040437/china-and-russia-forge-deeper-ties-thanks-their-common-enemy

https://www.institutmontaigne.org/en/blog/how-china-frames-sino-russian-ties-its-foreign-policy-strategy

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/can-russia-and-china-cooperate-middle-east-21833

China and the BRICS

https://thediplomat.com/2019/11/is-brics-losing-its-shine-for-china/

China and the US (up to 2021)

https://thediplomat.com/tag/u-s-china-relations/

https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/the-us-china-trade-war-is-still-happening/

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/23/us-china-relations-could-improve-in-the-next-two-years-stanchart.html

https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2020/11/26/rocky-road-ahead-for-biden-on-us-china-relations/

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56304379

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-56021205

https://thediplomat.com/2021/01/russias-romance-with-china-is-all-about-keeping-up-appearances/ https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45899310

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51114425

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0163660X.2019.1666355

Evolution of Chinese foreign policy

https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2091502/how-chinas-foreign-policy-non-intervention-all-about

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273960069_The_limits_to_China's_non-interference_foreign_policy_pro-state_interventionism_and_the_rescaling_of_economic_governance

China at the UN

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2021/02/25/un-human-rights-council-as-the-us-returns-it-will-have-to-deal-with-china-and-its-friends/

https://www.brookings.edu/research/chinas-expanding-influence-at-the-united-nations-and-how-the-united-states-should-react/

https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/09/1047992

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/10/07/is-chinas-influence-united-nations-all-that-its-cracked-up-be/

China and Climate Change

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_in_China#:~:text=The%20country%20is%20the%20world's,unit%20of%20GDP%20by%2020%25.&text=As%20of%20Q3%202020%2C%20China's%20wind%20power%20capacity%20was%20224%20GW.

https://www.edf.org/climate/why-china-center-our-climate-strategy

https://qz.com/1971281/the-problem-with-chinas-new-carbon-trading-market/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_in_China

https://time.com/5669061/china-climate-change/

https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/china/

https://ec.europa.eu/clima/sites/clima/files/news/20180713_statement_en.pdf

China and Space

https://spacenews.com/op-ed-for-china-space-is-both-substance-and-symbol/

https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/01/21/1016513/china-private-commercial-space-industry-dominance/

https://www.space.com/topics/china-space-program

https://spacenews.com/u-s-china-set-for-spring-civil-space-dialogue-on-exploration-science/

https://spacewatch.global/2019/01/chinese-space-wars-u-s-intelligence-report-outlines-beijings-space-warfare-preparations/

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/china-america-space-race

China and cyberwarfare

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56261516

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_cyberwarfare

https://securityboulevard.com/2020/12/china-cyber-attacks-the-current-threat-landscape/

https://carnegieendowment.org/2019/04/01/what-are-china-s-cyber-capabilities-and-intentions-pub-78734

http://www.nids.mod.go.jp/publication/chinareport/pdf/china_report_EN_web_2021_A01.pdf

https://www.csis.org/programs/strategic-technologies-program/significant-cyber-incidents

China's soft power

https://www.ifri.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/etnc_2021_-_chinas_soft_power_in_europe_-_falling_on_hard_times.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_power_of_China

https://www.e-ir.info/2020/07/03/the-state-of-chinas-soft-power-in-2020/

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3124373/china-falls-soft-power-ranking-us-loses-its-crown-and-tumbles

https://brandfinance.com/press-releases/global-soft-power-index-2021-15-nations-from-mena-feature

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chinas-big-bet-soft-power

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270799589_Confucius_Institute_project_China's_cultural_diplomacy_and_soft_power_projection