Esmee Mei

Esmee has studied and worked in China in the past years. At Fudan University in Shanghai, she completed a double degree Master’s in International Business, specialising in Chinese Economy. Alongside her studies, she pursued Mandarin at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and gained professional experience at the Benelux Chamber of Commerce, where she supported international collaborations and helped organise large-scale events for businesses and young professionals.

Growing up as a third-generation Chinese immigrant in the Netherlands, she developed an early interest in cross-cultural perspectives and international collaboration. Having experienced both the academic and professional sides of China, she is interested in how these perspectives translate into real-world collaboration.

Within YCC, Esmee organises events that deepen understanding of EU–China relations, spark cross-cultural conversations, and contribute to a community where diverse perspectives come together.

Lucy van Eck

After completing a double master’s degree in International and Global Public Policy in London and Shanghai, Lucy is currently a PhD researcher at Leiden University, where she examines the geopolitical trade relationship between the European Union and China. Her research focuses on how major powers navigate economic interdependence in an increasingly contested global order.

Alongside her academic work, she combines a strong interest in journalism and policy analysis, and is keen to contribute to thoughtful discussions and accessible writing on developments in and around China. She is focused on strengthening the team with both her analytical and communicative experience.

Pietro Damiani

Pietro’s journey with China started back in his undergrad days in Milan, where he studied Mandarin and discovered the many facets of the Chinese language, History, and society. He later specialised in Sinology during his master’s in Venice. Along the way, he spent time in Beijing and Changchun, studying at Beijing Language and Culture University and Jilin International Studies University – experiences that really deepened both his language skills and my curiosity about the country. He is especially interested in China’s foreign policy and political economy, which is why he is now completing another master’s in International Relations at Leiden University.

In YCC, he is excited to draw on his academic background and his experience in similar positions, and help build a space where people who are passionate about China can connect, exchange ideas and learn from each other.

Rients Visser

Rients has had a life-long fascination for China and has spent several years studying Mandarin and Chinese culture in Yunnan. He has just finished a double Master’s degree in Climate Studies and Development & Rural Innovation at Wageningen University. For the latter, he combined his interest for China and emerging South-South relations by researching Chinese migrant communities and their social networks in Ghana.

Rients is excited about opportunities to bring the stories of Chinese people closer to young professionals in the Netherlands, highlighting the personal side of China’s development and position in the world.

Simon Snel

Simon is a 23-year-old Belgian student, currently enrolled in a Master’s in Cultural and Social Anthropology at the University of Amsterdam, after concluding his Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts and Sciences at Maastricht University.

He moved to China with his family when he was two years old, and spent 16 years growing up in Shanghai, where he formed a strong attachment to China, its culture, language, and literature. Through his experience in both East and West, he brings different insights to discussions around Sino-European relations and wishes to strengthen the link between these two regions.