Dr. Sarah Kirchberger

Dr Sarah Kirchberger (b. 1975) is the Head of the Center for Asia-Pacific Strategy and Security at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University (ISPK). She is the author of Assessing China's Naval Power: Technological Innovation, Economic Constraints, and Strategic Implications (Springer, 2015). Sarah Kirchberger holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Sinology from the University of Hamburg. Before joining the faculty of the Asia-Africa-Institute at the University of Hamburg as an Assistant Professor of Contemporary China in 2010, she had served for three years as a naval analyst with shipbuilder Blohm + Voss, Hamburg, charged with analysing naval developments world-wide in cooperation with technical departments and naval sales executives. Originally trained as a specialist of Chinese Communist Party history during studies in Hamburg, Trier, and Taipei, Sarah Kirchberger began researching China's naval development during 2011, and has since continued to focus on related topics. Other current research interests include domestic Chinese reform discourses within the CCP; military-technological co-operation between China, Russia and Ukraine; the strategic importance of the South China Sea for China's military planners; and China’s space and naval strategy.

Maritime Security and Balance of Powers in East Asia

The emerging great-power rivalry between the U.S. and China is about to become a defining element of the Asia-Pacific security situation, and has begun to influence the maritime strategies of most Asian countries. Submarine programs have been started even in some lesser developed countries, leading some observers to note the beginnings of an arms race in Asia. Tensions in the East and South China Sea, the unstable situation on the Korean Peninsula, and strengthened military cooperation between old allies, but also new cooperation between unlikely partners such as China and Russia or Vietnam and the USA, are yet other facets of a new and uncertain trajectory. Starting from some basic geographic and geopolitical considerations, this presentation will trace the military–strategic interests, dependencies and threat perceptions of China on the one hand and of the U.S.-led alliance in the Asia-Pacific on the other, and will then discuss the impact of China’s ongoing naval modernization on the strategic balance in Asia from this vantage point. The role of new technologies, and in particular China’s ambitious goals for space development, will be highlighted.

China’s strife for economic and military power

Starting from the Taiwan Strait Crisis during the mid-1990s, China has begun to follow a systematic course of state-led economic and military growth. The major aim, according to state and party leader Xi Jinping, is to achieve a “rejuvenation” of the Chinese nation – a goal which seems to include the idea of repatriating all traditionally Chinese territories, and to once again assume China’s leading role in the Asia Pacific. To a large extent, China’s military and economic power rests upon maritime, and in particular, naval development. China’s first overseas military base in Djibouti signals Beijing’s ambition to achieve a stronger presence in the Indian Ocean. The Belt & Road Initiative, China’s flagship project to intensify connectivity across Eurasia, now officially extends to the Arctic as well as to Africa and even the South American Continent. China’s multifaceted relationship with Russia is also of particular relevance against the backdrop of the current world climate. Ever since the occupation of Crimea in 2014 caused a rift between the Western countries and Russia, both countries have massively intensified their mutual economic, political, military and technological cooperation. Joint Sino-Russian naval manoeuvres in NATO’s home waters, such as the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas, are only the most visible manifestations of a much intensified cooperation. This presentation will analyze China’s multi-layered initiatives to strengthen its own strategic position and to regain a powerful role in the world, and will discuss the possible impact of these strategies on Europe.

Prof. Dr. Christian Webersik

Christian Webersik is professor of development studies at the Department of Global Development and Planning at the University of Agder (UiA), and Deputy Director of CIEM (Centre for Integrated Emergency Management). Before joining UiA, he was a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science – United Nations University (JSPS-UNU) Postdoctoral Fellow at the United Nations University’s Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS). Before that, he was a Fellow at the Earth Institute at Columbia University hosted by the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN). He is holding a D.Phil. in politics and international relations from Oxford University.

Dr. Patricia Schneider

Patricia Schneider studied political science and economics at the universities of Bamberg, Galway/Ireland and Hamburg. She finished her studies in 1998 as Diplom-Political Scientist. In 2003 she earned her Dr. phil. at the University of Hamburg. Patricia is senior researcher at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH). She was co-leader and Project Coordinator of “PiraT – Piracy and Maritime Terrorism as a Challenge for Maritime Trade Security” (www.maritimesecurity.eu). She is lecturer and coordinator of the postgraduate Master’s programme Peace and Security Studies, as well as co-editor of the quarterly journal “S+F. Sicherheit und Frieden - Security and Peace” (www.security-and-peace.de). She is a member of the Expert Committee on the Indian Ocean Region of the German Foreign Office.

Hanno Teuteberg

Hanno Teuteberg joined the South African Navy (SA Navy) in 1977 and qualified as a seagoing combat officer onboard Type 12 Frigates followed by a stint as a Hydrographic Officer. In the mid-80s, he moved to the submarine branch where he followed the normal career path to commanding a submarine and then the flotilla itself (1998). During the SA Navy’s acquisition project phase of it’s Meko 200 Frigates and Type 209 Submarines, he served as the Defence Attaché in Berlin. Promoted to Rear Admiral (JG) in 2006, he moved back to Simon’s Town to take up the post of Director Force Preparation followed by stints within operations and business planning at both the operational and tactical levels (Maritime and Joint Head Quarters). He was promoted to Rear Admiral in early 2013 and acted as the Chief Director Maritime Strategy followed by another promotion to Deputy Chief of the Navy in 2014. Retiring from this post in 2017, he has kept himself busy with a variety of maritime related activities. 

Dr. Hans Christoph Atzpodien

Dr. Hans Christoph Atzpodien (born 1955) studied Law at Bonn University where he also earned his doctorate degree. He started his professional career as a member of the legal department of Otto Wolff AG, Cologne, in 1982. In 1990 he joined Thyssen Industrie AG, Essen, followed by several high level management positions in the Thyssen-/thyssenkrupp-Group, amongst them as Managing Director/CEO of Thyssen(Krupp)Transrapid System GmbH (1997-2001), Member of the Executive Board of ThyssenKrupp Technologies AG (2001-2009), CEO/Chairman of the Executive Board of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems AG (2007-2012), CEO/Chairman of the Executive Board of ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions AG (2013-2015) and Chairman of various Supervisory Boards, amongst them ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems GmbH and Atlas Elektronik GmbH (until end of 2016).

Starting August 2017 Dr. Atzpodien has taken over as Managing Director of the Federation of German Security and Defence Industries (BDSV e.V.), Berlin.

Andreas Burmester

Andreas Burmester was born in 1963 in Lübeck, Germany. After basic military training with the German Navy he studied Physical Technology and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Applied Science in Luebeck, graduating with a degree as Engineer. Since 1989, he has worked in Kiel in various positions and fields for Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH, now thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH, in departments associated with submarine production. Since 2010, Andreas Burmester has been Member of the Executive Board, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, in several positions.

Klaus-Eberhard Moeller

Klaus-Eberhard Möller studied Aeronautical Engineering at the Technical University, Braunschweig. From 1979 till 1985 he was Systems Engineer for Guided Missiles at Bodenseewerk Gerätetechnik (BGT) in Ueberlingen, before taking over as Project Manager for various missile system R&D studies, many of them including successful flight tests. From 1998 till 2004 he was Programmanager Antiradar-Missiles, from 2003 till 2004 also responsible for the naval missile projects IDAS and RBS15 Mk3. After the merger of BGT and Diehl Ammunition Systems to Diehl BGT Defence in 2004, Klaus-Eberhard Möller became Head of Productmanagement “Naval Multi Purpose Missiles”.

Alexander Graf

Alexander Graf was an officer in the German Navy. Before leaving the Navy he was commanding officer on mine hunting/sweeping vessels in the 4th and 6th Mine Squadrons. He retired as a Lieutenant Commander. During his time in the Navy he studied politics at the German Armed Forces University in Munich. Since July 2000 he has been working for Rheinmetall Weapon Munition GmbH. He started as a regional sales manager for naval products in Ratingen. In 2009 he took over responsibility as a project manager for national and international R&D projects. At the beginning of this year Mr. Graf became the head of programme management for Directed Energy Effectors.

Dr. Ulrike Franke

Ulrike Franke joined ECFR in 2015 as Research Assistant to the Director, while finishing her PhD in International Relations at the University of Oxford. She became policy fellow with the New European Security Initiative in September 2017, working on German foreign and defence policy and emerging military technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence. Ulrike holds a BA from Sciences Po Paris and a double summa cum laude MA degree from Sciences Po Paris (Affaires internationales/Sécurité internationale) and the University of St. Gallen (International Affairs and Governance). Before joining ECFR, Mrs. Franke was Managing Editor of the St. Antony’s International Review (STAIR), Oxford's Journal of International Affairs. She was also part of UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism Ben Emmerson's research team, working on drones used in counterterrorism contexts. Prior to this she worked as a part-time research assistant at the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) in London. Ulrike Franke has published numerous articles, primarily on drones and Artificial Intelligence.

Christian Wornik

Christian Wornik was born in Arnsberg/North Rhine Westphalia, Germany, in 1981. He joined the German Armed Forces in October 2001 and served as an officer mainly in the Naval MCM branch.

Besides his responsibility as XO of FGS “Sulzbach-Rosenberg” he was qualified as clearance diver and explosive ordnance disposal expert. Although being a temporary career officer he was awarded the commanding officer credential and commanded MCM vessels in various assignments. He left the German Armed Forces in October 2014 with the rank Lieutenant Commander. After finishing his master thesis for the MBA he joined ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, Bremen in March 2015 as a Sales Manager for Naval MCM Systems.