EU-China Strategic Partnership

Jing Men

How to understand EU-China partnership?

1. Ideology, human rights, political system…– Problematic

2. Interest-based perspective– Workable

Different objectives in EU-China bilateral relations

• Objectives:– The EU has a mission: transform China– China requests equal partnership

• Reality:– China is getting more confident– The EU is obliged to admit that it is difficult to

change China

The EU's China Policy

• To engage China further, both bilaterally and on the world stage, through an upgraded political dialogue.

• To support China's transition to an open society based upon the rule of law and respect for human rights.

• To encourage the integration of China in the world economy through bringing it fully into the world trading system, and supporting the process of economic and social reform that is continuing in China.

• To raise the EU's profile in China.

How should the EU face reality?

• Like China or not, it is a world of co-existence;• Hate China or not, China cannot be ignored;• The EU should work with China to maximize its

own interest – a win-win and mutual beneficial relationship.

• The policy proposal to the EU: constructive liberalism based on common interests

Are the EU and China strategic partners?

– Yes and no;– Yes, because they are both important in global

governance, they need to work together on many strategically important issues;

– No, because they are very different actors – there is no mutual trust and mutual understanding between them yet.

EU-China partnership is irreplaceable

• Trade partners: – trade volume over €1 billion a day– 2nd largest agriculture market for EU agricultural

products• Economic cooperation:– Juncker plan for infrastructure, Chinese banks ready to

invest "billions” • Bilateral negotiations on investment:• Climate change, sustainable development, global

peace and security,….

The goal of the EU

• Short and medium term goal:– Deepen engagement and cooperation

• Long term goal: – Transforming China

How to promote the partnership?

• More dialogue on more issues• Both sides should train more experts on EU-

China relations• More contacts at the grassroots level: people

to people exchange• The EP should have a permanent delegation in

China, apart from the one in Washington