Dr. Max Lin University of Liverpool Dr. Max Lin University of Liverpool 1

The engagement between Europe and China 1.Nixon's 1972 'Ice-Breaking' Visit to China. 2.The European Community began to engage with China in In 1985, the EC published the first official paper towards China: the EU-China Trade and Cooperation Agreement. 4.The bilateral relationship has gone backwards since the sanctions resulting from the 1989 Tiananmen Tragedy. 5.In 1995, the serial bilateral dialogues had hammered out definitive strategy in A Long Term Policy for China–Europe Relations (1995) 2

In 2003, it is the first time that the commission paper uses the phrase of “strategic partnership”: “ It is in the clear interest of the EU and China to work as strategic partners on the international scene … Through a further reinforcement of their cooperation, the EU and China will be better able to shore up their joint security and other interests in Asia and elsewhere. ” The EU regards China as a strategic partner 3

The EU’s external relations The EU has created and worked on a network of ‘strategic partnerships. 4

In Asia, the EU has 5 strategic partners. 5

In Southern Hemisphere, there are only two strategic partners. 6

What is the EU’s strategic intension towards China : 1.China is a rising power. 2.The EU attempts to influence China’s development. 3.The EU’s conviction that China could be steered towards democratisation and multilateralism. 4.Soft balancing the US unipolarism. 7

What is Chinese strategic intention towards the EU? 1. Lifting the EU arms embargo on China China’s military modernization 2. Beijing’s strategic intention in the Galileo project, advanced technology transfers. 3. The EU is the largest contributor to China of transfer of technology 4. Soft balancing the US unipolarism. 8

Why is the EU-China partnership strategically insignificant? 9

The case in the EU Arms Embargo on China 1.The EU’s ban of the arms embargo on China was imposed in response to the Tiananmen tragedy of Since 2003, the climate was mature of lifting the arms embargo on China. The growing EU-China political and military connection made to lift the arms embargo initiated to be discussed. (F, U, S) 3.From Whitehouse to Congress and Academic, American are strongly opposed to lift the ban. 10

The case of Galileo Satellite plan In 2003, the EU and Chin signed the agreement of the Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System. Before the US intervening, around €35 million had been contracted to China for developing different applications of the Galileo project in China by July After the US intervention, the EU excluded Chinese contractors to join the Galileo plan in

The US intervention: 1. To maintain its strategic predominance in East Asia. 2. Contain China’s military modernization. In only a decade, the official military budget has almost quadrupled from about US$ 8.9 billion in 1996 to US$ 35 billion in

In the second pillar, the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the EU still remains at the intergovernmental level. The character of intergovernmentalism is that Member States remain their own foreign policy. The ‘Big Three’ have built strategic relationships with China respectively. The EU is not a state 13

China didn’t view the EU as a strategic partner 1.After the US intervention, China is aware that the EU is not an independent actor in global security. 2.China is aware that there is no coherent foreign policy in the EU. 3.Bejing values Berlin, London, and Pairs more than Brussels. 4.Moreover, China concerns that the EU helps India to modernize its navy. 14

The so-call strategic partnership is rhetoric. But, why is the EU-China partnership hardly ignorable? 15

China needs an alternative plan After the US intervention of the lifting of the arms embargo and the Galileo Project, China shifted its attention back to Asian countries. China’s neighboring countries concern the expansion of Chinese military. 1.Japan has a dispute with China in East China Sea. 2.South Korea concerns economic interest in Yellow Sea. 3.Southeast Asian countries are anxious China’s assertiveness in South China Sea. 16

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Economically, China needs the EU The bilateral trade is huge: €296 billion in goods and €31 billion in services in The further economic growth - 12th five-year plan The EU is China's biggest source of foreign investment and technology import 18

1. Largely, Chinese economy relies on foreign trade. 2. Is it true that the poor Chinese save wealthy European? Should China contribute to a bail-out for debt- ridden European countries? Discussion: 19

Thanks 20