The European Union and China

237 Pages·2018·1.672 MB·English

by  Thomas Christiansen, Emil Kirchner, Uwe Wissenbach

THOMAS CHRISTIANSEN
EMIL KIRCHNER
UWE WISSENBACH
“This is one of the first books on EU-China relations which covers a wide range of key
issues in bilateral relations as well as the EU and China on the world stage. It is both
comprehensive and inspiring.”
—Professor Jing Men, Director of EU-China Research Centre,
College of Europe, Belgium
“An informative and accessible, but nevertheless thorough and systematic, analysis
of the various aspects of EU-China relations made by longstanding and renowned
experts on the topic. This comprehensive book will provide students, academics, offi-
cials, NGOs and other stakeholders with the necessary insight to grasp the complexity
of four decades of relations between the European Union and China.”
—Professor Jean-Christophe Defraigne, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium.
“This is an informative, clearly written and timely book on an understudied, yet highly
significant topic. The relationship between China and Europe is arguably one of the
most crucial and consequential relationships in the world, but there has been no com-
prehensive textbook covering its history and present issues. The European Union and
China, written by leading scholars in the field, will fill an important gap. It will be indis-
pensable for students, researchers and policy makers alike and I recommend it highly.”
—Klaus Mühlhahn, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
“This book provides a fresh, comprehensive and detailed overview of China–EU
relations that are at the crossroads: the future of the transatlantic partnership is in
question making relations with China more decisive for the continent and the rest of
the world than ever before. This book is a knowledgeable toolkit and a ‘must-read’
for all who want to understand the past and aim to seize the chance of rethinking
Europe’s China policy.”
—Tim Rühlig, Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Sweden
“This remarkably comprehensive and detailed study is one of the best ever on China–
Europe relations. Its breadth and depth are impressive. Readers will not only gain a
sense of the historical evolution of relations, but also the multiple functional spheres
in which the EU and China interact. This book has a definitive title as it is a definitive
volume and should be required reading for all those studying both EU Common For-
eign and Security Policy, as well as China’s foreign relations.”
—Professor David Shambaugh, George Washington University USA
“In a new age of great power rivalry, a working EU-China partnership could be a
much needed force for stability. Three renowned European experts provide an insight-
ful analysis of this relationship, which should inspire students of China as well as
those who make EU strategy on China.”
—Professor Sven Biscop, Egmont – Royal Institute for International
Relations in Brussels, Belgium
“This is the most comprehensive text of EU-China relations, covering all the impor-
tant areas in the relationship which is one of the most important in global politics
today. It provides good resources for scholars and students in both European Studies
and China Studies.”
—Professor Xinning Song, Renmin University of China, China
“This text will be of great help to those attempting to trace and evaluate the develop-
ment of relations between the European Union and China. It provides a rich historical
background to the relationship, an understanding of key elements in the policy-mak-
ing processes in Brussels and Beijing, and a wide-ranging review of a set of key policy
areas. By doing so, it manages to link the external projection of policies with domestic
cultural and political forces, as well as with the development of the global arena. In
addition, by incorporating important analyses of people-to-people as well as govern-
ment-to-government relations, the authors have gone beyond the normal range of
analyses of EU-China relations to provide perspectives on societal forces and devel-
opments. The overall result is a comprehensive and analytically sophisticated text that
will be useful to a wide range of students and teachers in Europe, Asia and beyond.”
—Professor Michael Smith, University of Warwick, UK
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The European Union
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Thomas Christiansen, Emil Kirchner
and Uwe Wissenbach
© Thomas Christiansen, Emil Kirchner and Uwe Wissenbach under exclusive
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From Thomas Christiansen: for Youngah
From Emil Kirchner: for my granddaughter Verity
 From Uwe Wissenbach: for Lin and Lili
Contents
List of Features xii
List of Abbreviations xiii
Preface xvi
About the authors xviii
1 Introduction 1
Introduction 1
Europe and China: The Role of History, Concepts and Ideas 2
Imbalances and Uneven Focus in EU–China Relations 6
The Elephant in the Room: The Role of the United States in
EU–China Relations 8
Conclusion 10
2 The Evolution of the EU–China Relationship 13
Introduction 13
The Evolution of EU–China Relations 14
Perspectives on the EU–China Relationship: Continuity and Change 23
Conclusion 26
3 EU Institutions and the Making of EU Foreign Policy 29
Introduction 29
The Role of Member States in EU Foreign Policy 32
Supranational Institutions and EU External Relations 38
The Nature of European Foreign Policy 44
Conclusion 49
4 Chinese Institutions and Foreign Policy 51
Introduction: China’s Rise and Its Foreign Policy 51
China’s New Assertiveness: Change or No Change of Foreign Policy? 52
Identity Issues: Respect, Recognition, Reciprocity 55
Chinese Foreign Policy Principles and Priorities 58
China’s Domestic Agenda and Foreign Policy 62
Chinese Foreign Policy Actors: A Glimpse Behind the
Bamboo Curtain 65
Chinese Foreign Policy and the EU 68
Conclusion 69
5 The Political Dimension of EU–China Relations 71
Introduction 71
Political Dialogues 74
ix
x Contents
Drivers of the Political Relationship 76
Human Rights Disputes 77
Other Contentious Issues in EU–China Relations 82
Conclusion 85
6 The Economic Dimension of EU–China Relations 88
Introduction 88
Trade 89
Foreign Direct Investment 98
Monetary Policy and the International Financial System 103
The Impact of the Eurozone Crisis on EU–China Relations 106
Conclusion 108
7 The Societal Dimension of EU–China Relations 110
Introduction 110
Education and Research Collaboration in EU–China
Relations 111
The Role of Think Tanks, NGOs and Civil Society 114
The Role of Culture in the Relations Between the
EU and China 116
Sport in EU–China Relations 118
Migration and Migrants 119
Tourism 120
Conclusion 121
8 The Security Dimension of EU–China Relations 122
Introduction 122
The EU as (Non-)Actor in Asian Security 123
Chinese Focus on Regional Security 126
Chinese Practice of the Principle of Non-Interference 127
Issues for EU–China Security Cooperation 133
Conclusion 139
9 International Development Policy and EU–China Relations 140
Introduction 140
The EU’s and China’s Approaches to Development 140
The EU, China and Developing Countries: A History
of Competition and Cooperation 148
The EU’s and China’s Approaches to Development
Assistance: Commonalities and Differences 152
Impact on EU–China Relations 160
Conclusion 162
10 China and the EU in the Global Context 164
Introduction 164
European and Chinese Perspectives on Global Governance 165