china’s view on the eu. (brief lowdown)*
it’s a story of deepening ties and optimism.
the multilateral eu was formed out of the rubble of ww2, gradually coalescing. the relationship between the prc and eu is new as both countries are new and is unburdened by the issues that beset china/America or china/japan.
the usa cannot be ignored as it is like the third point in a triangle. (to put it in English heheh).
the bamboo curtain started to come down after charles de gaulle’s recognition of the prc in 1964. (then the Nixon visit was a major turning point in attitudes to external affairs. (from beijings point of view.))
academic studies began in the 1970’s though information was not easily accessible. that is no longer a problem and understanding of European affairs in china has deepened, though there is still more concentration on japan and the usa.
many studies focus on the search for a social model in china. the balance between economic development and social equity is observed. issues of integration. Europe stands or falls on the platform of multilatereralism. chinese could certainly take a leaf out of that book. (just a thought)
alongside social reform, law of banking, trade regulation and environmental and intellectual property issues are studied.
chinese government policy has its own thinktanks. its information is said to come from information gleaned from an embassy near you. the embassies have their own research units. (like other countries)
it maybe thought that Europe researchers in academic china have negligible impact on policy formation. they see their role as forming public opinion and in basic research.... however chinese have a history of paying attention to their scholars cultural revolution notwithstanding.
china’s Europe policy is well informed and optimistic though critics (americans) sense (not unexpectedly) the presence of cognitive dissonance (the tendency to view a situation in terms of received doctrine.) ....unlike the view of Washington from Beijing , which is dominated with strategic issues of military relationships on china’s periphery and adversarial trade issues, there is no such strategic mistrust between Beijing and brussels.
the americans are of course intereted in the relationship in terms of the European arms embargo on china. but its attention has been focussed on iraq and terrorists both real and imagined, and it is now understandably concerned with its own economic worries..
there are many issues of common concern between the three.
the china--europe relationship has come a long way in 30 years. and prospects look rosy.
***
* I hate cluttering a blog with academic references but for this essay I am indebted to China-Europe Relations. eds. David Shambaugh, Eberhard Sandsneider and Zhao Hong . routelege 2008 NY.
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