From think tanker, to policymaker and back again: Abigaël Vasselier has joined the European think tank focusing on China, MERICS, as research director and head of the foreign relations team a few weeks ago. In her new position, the Frenchwoman will focus on China’s foreign policy, with a particular focus on the EU’s policy on China. As former deputy head of the division for China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Mongolia at the European External Action Service (EEAS), she has been actively involved in shaping this until very recently. Prior to that, Vasselier had her first think tank job at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).