Don’t Make a Rival Out of the Dragon: Rethinking the Eu-China Policy (original) (raw)

Contesting China in Europe: Contextual Shift in China-EU Relations and the Role of "China Threat"

The China Question: Contestations and Adaptations, 2022

How the EU perceives and addresses China and China-related issues has undergone a profound change in recent years. The EU's relationship with China has long been based on the EU-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership from 2003. As recently as 2013, "EU-China 2020 Strategic Agenda for Cooperation", the guiding bilateral document for the relationship between the two parties for the period 2013-2020, evidenced that the EU's approach to China aimed to adapt to and accommodate China and its evolving international role. The accommodation took place at least in the sense that, among others, the document repeatedly uses China's terminology of "win-win" to define the goals in important areas of the relationship; it makes multiple commitments to "developing",

THE EU-CHINA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP: NORMATIVE DIVERGENCE AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCE

EU-CHINA OBSERVER, 2018

In the study of EU-China relations, acknowledging the dynamics between the power of ideas in a constructivist reading and the power of interest in a realist framework, facilitates assessing the strategic nature of their partnership. In this reading, while Europe pursues norm projection, Beijing has been selective in embracing them. It rejects international norms it perceives to be hindering its development, such as the political and cultural dimension of human rights, while embracing those advancing its domestic interests and global agenda, such as environmental protection. Moreover, Beijing increasingly seeks to influence global governance by presenting its own concepts as a viable alternative to liberal democracies. This is indicative of a fundamental normative divergence challenging their relations. Yet, the identification of common interests in areas such as climate change and environmental protection, peace-keeping and security, terrorism, counter-piracy to name a few, has created opportunities. In the future, as the shift in global power dynamics is likely to further widen the normative divergence and friction in trade and investment seems to be on the rise, it is the increase in convergence in interests in addressing global problems that can secure further opportunities.

The Chinese Perspectives on the EU’s Policy towards China

Rome, IAI, October 2023, 22 p. (IAI Papers ; 23|22), ISBN 978-88-9368-309-8, 2023

EU–China relations have encountered increasing difficulties in recent years. A group of Chinese experts on European studies have explored in depth the factors that have influenced the EU’s reorientation of its China policy, as well as the policies adopted by the EU that affect the most the relationship with China. These analyses offer Europeans a valuable and different perspective, revealing how the Chinese perceive the EU and the dynamics of EU–China relations. To conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the perspectives of Chinese experts, this study has examined the publications on EU–China relations since 2019 by Chinese think tank experts and scholars, with a specific focus on the Chinese interpretation of the EU’s label of China as a “systemic rival” and the “securitisation” of EU policies in its engagement with China.

European Union – China in the Changing World Composition

World Economy and International Relations, 2022

By 2021, the nature of the key factors that will determine the dynamics of the EU–China relations in the medium term has become clearer. The pandemic accelerated many ongoing processes in the world, revealed “weak points” in national and regional economies and security, and exposed the true intentions of international actors. The authors proceed from the working hypothesis that an ideologized rigid approach with elements of pragmatism will dominate in the EU–China relations in the post-crisis period. The balance in the formula of these relations “partner, competitor, rival” will significantly depend on the position of the United States, as well as the European Union’s compliance with the “bloc discipline”. Competition in the field of technology will be of key importance, but the struggle for political and ideological leadership in the changing world order will also become more acute. The political response of the EU and China to technological challenges will represent a mix of prote...

Glimpse at EU–China relationships since 2008

Baltic Journal of European Studies, 2000

United Europe-China relations have a long history. For many years they have developed successfully, but not along a simple course. The main thesis of this article is that the year 2008, which is associated primarily with the onset of the financial crisis in Europe, became a watershed in the history of bilateral relations between EU and China. Over the past few years the agenda and the role of the actors, and also the content and format of discourse have changed dramatically. This article is devoted primarily to some aspects of the EU’s position in relation to China and, to a lesser extent, to the position of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Therefore the history of contacts between the two sides will be considered especially in the light of some EU publications, while China will be outside our primary area of focus. Unlike many studies on economic cooperation between EU and China, our paper will accentuate the political component of the relationship. We shall try to demonstrate...

The EU-China Strategic Partnership: Achievements and Challenges". European Policy Paper #12, November 2007

2007

This paper studies EU-China relations in the 21 st century in order to identify the achievements of the two sides and the challenges they still face. The paper starts with a historical review of bilateral relations and of t h e p o l i c y p a p e r s i s s u e d b y b o t h governments. The paper also examines the framework established by the two sides to facilitate bilateral communication and cooperation. In the second part, the paper focuses on agreements and disagreements between the EU and China by looking at several issues of mutual concern. The issues covered include: understanding of the international political structure; cooperation in international affairs; the lifting of the arms embargo on China; and trade disputes. Through the analysis of these issues, the paper points out the progress and problems in bilateral relations in an effort to help readers better understand the EU-China strategic partnership. EU-China relations have been developing rapidly in recent years. Apart from the influence of t h e i n t e r n a ti o n a l p ol i ti c a l e n v i r o n m e n t i n t h e p o s t-Cold War era, the developments in both the European Union (EU) and China have created a favorable context for progress in bilateral relations. Both sides have undergone huge changes in recent years. The birth of the EU is a remarkable achievement of European integration. From the signing of the Treaty of Paris to the coming into effect of the Treaty of Maastricht; from the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in the early 1950s to the development of the internal market; t h e E U h a s b e e n demonstrating to the world the power of economic integration. Far away from the EU, on the other side of the globe, China has also achieved great progress thanks to the economic and political reforms carried out since the end of the 1970s. From planned economy to market economy; from prom oting worl d revol uti on to m aintaining gl obal peace and promoting development; China has been steadily rising. China's changes attract the EU, and the EU's experience fascinates China. Since the 1990s, the mutual attraction of the two sides has brought their bilateral relationship to a new high. Historical Review of Bilateral Relations In contrast to the rapid growth of bilateral cooperation in the last decade, the initial development of bilateral relations between the EU and China was rather slow.

EU-China Political and Security Relations: Gaps, Challenges and Perspectives

Quarterly Journal of Chinese Studies Vol 1, Num 2, 2012

The European Union's relevance in East-Asian political and security issues, developed mainly during the last two decades, remains limited and relatively low profile. After these two decades, the persistent gap between rhetoric and materialized joint action remains existent. However, since its formalization, the EU-China 'Strategic Partnership' has achieved a significant deepening and widening in both recognized potential for further cooperation as well as in concrete joint action. Yet, points of tension still exist, mainly coming from disagreements in terms of values and conception of the international system. The significant rise of China and its increasing presence in international affairs has brought about, for the EU, a significant challenge. On the one hand, strengthening and deepening its relations with China is a necessary condition for the EU to consolidate its role as an international actor; while on the other hand, China's strong demands for respect on national sovereignty and to be regarded in terms of equality, challenge the EU's traditional value-based diplomacy. Paradoxically, China, because of the challenges it presents for the EU alongside with the necessity and determination to strengthen this relation, may be becoming a driving force for the consolidation of the EU's personality as a foreign and security actor. Thus, this article will first give a historical overview of EU-China relations since the end of the Cold War; secondly, it will review the main challenges and gaps still present in the bilateral relations; and finally, it will evaluate the perspectives and possible future direction of this important 'Strategic Partnership'.