New research project examines the withdrawal of European companies from China

As part of the SNSF Starting Grant,Aydin Yildirim has been awarded CHF 1,774,935 for his research. He is investigating why European companies are increasingly relocating their production from China. While economic motives for production relocations have been well researched, the focus here will be on political factors – from national location strategies to social reactions to globalisation.

Hoping for a better understanding of supply chains

Methodologically, quantitative analyses and experimental procedures will be combined: in addition to building a unique dataset on the withdrawal of European companies' investments from China over two decades, a survey experiment will be conducted to assess the role of political and economic factors in corporate decisions. The project aims to develop fundamental insights into the political economy of global supply chains and contribute to the understanding of Europe's derisking strategy towards China. The research will start in 2026 and is scheduled to run for five years.

Focus on international political economy

Aydin Yildirim, who is moving from ETH Zurich to SEPS-HSG for the project, is one of the excellent young scholars in the field of international political economy. His research focuses on the political dimensions of global trade, the role of multinational companies and the governance of international institutions such as the European Union and the World Trade Organisation. With this profile, he ideally complements the interdisciplinary orientations of SEPS and strengthens the University of St.Gallen's position in international trade and globalisation research.

Academic career and previous positions

Aydin Yildirim received his doctorate from the University of Antwerp and previously completed a master's degree at the University of Edinburgh. Since 2022, he has been conducting research as a postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Dr. Frank Schimmelfennig's European Politics research group at ETH Zurich. Previously, he led the EU-funded Marie Curie project PROSPER (Politics of Rule-making Orchestration of Standards and Private Economic Regulations) at the World Trade Institute in Bern.