1. Twitter: @Jinghan_Zeng Weibo: Dr曾敬涵
The role of Europe in Chinese narratives:
“one belt one road”
“new type of great power relations”
Dr. Jinghan ZENG
A great fun to be scholars on Chinese foreign policy
Weibo: Dr曾敬涵

2. From keeping a low profile to ?
Chinese search for global leadership vs America’s global retreat
Climate change
Economic governance
Cyber governance
Chinese search for global leadership vs America’s global retreat

3. What is the role of Europe/EU in Xi’s diplomatic initiatives?
Case Studies:
One Belt One Road
New Type of Great Power Relations

4. Key argument
The EU/Europe is a second order concern for China and Europe only plays a marginalized role in China’s policy discussion

5. Case 1: New type of great power relations and Europe
“Both sides should, from the fundamental interest of the people of the two countries and of the world, join the efforts to build up China-U.S. cooperative partnership, trying to find a completely new way for the new type of great power relations, which would be unprecedented in history and open up the future.” - Xi Jinping (2012)
“雙方要著眼長遠，加強全方面、多層次交流，增進互信、 合作和友好，妥善管控分歧，推動中美關系沿著兩國元首 共同確定的建設相互尊重、互利共贏的合作夥伴關系方向 不斷向前發展，探索出一條中美新型大國關系之路，造福 兩國人民和世界人民”
Avoid “Thucydides trap”, by which a rising China and a declining US may lead to conflicts

6. For example
New type of great power relations between the UK and China

8. “In the past decade, we have been actively developing new type of great power relations that mainly focus on non-alignment, no confrontation, no direct action against a third country. We have established a fundamental framework of 21st century bilateral relations with the US, Russia, France, the UK, Canada, and Japan one after another.” - Jiang Zemin (2000) “這十年中，我們還積極致力於發展以不結盟、不對抗、不針對第三方為主要特征的新型大國關系，先後同美國、俄羅斯、法國、英國、加拿大、日本建立了發展面向二十一世紀雙邊關系的基本框架。”

10. Case 2: Europe and One Belt One Road

11. Stage 1: irrelevant
OBOR: a development strategy for China’s periphery diplomacy
First put forward during China’s first-ever “work forum on diplomacy to China's periphery” in October 2013

12. Stage 1: irrelevant As Xi elaborates, China
“should focus on maintaining the peace and stability of its periphery and promote win-win and mutual benefits. It should actively participated in regional economic cooperation; accelerate interconnectivity of infrastructure and establish ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ and ‘the 21st Century Maritime Silk Route Economic Belt’” (emphasized added by the author)(Xinhua, 2013).
Where is Europe?

13. Stage 1: irrelevant OBOD was not mentioned in
The 16th EU-China Summit held in Beijing in November 2013
“EU-China 2020 Strategic Agenda for Cooperation”
The Meeting of Heads of Government of China and Central and Eastern European Countries in late November
“the Bucharest Guidelines for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries”.

14. Stage 2: marginalized role
the Chinese deputy minister of foreign affairs, Zhang Yesui (2014):
OBOD was to connect Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Western Asia and even a part of Europe
The Joint Document of China-Central and Easter European Countries Ministerial Meeting on Promoting Trade and Economic Cooperation:
China and the relevant European countries should “seize the opportunities in the development of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road” (China-CEEC, 2014).

15. Stage 2: marginalized role
OBOR :
an already broad range: Asia, Africa and Europe.

16. Stage 3: all in the party Xi Jinping (2015):
OBOD was “open to all countries that were interested in it could join”.
Exclusiveness and strategic values?
China’s ancient Silk Road: Australia + Brazil + Peru
The US?

18. Conclusion
The role of Europe is marginalized in China’s strategic narratives under Xi Jinping’s leadership

19. Economics Europe as China’s largest trading partner. Interview:
Economics and trade are stable factors, while geo-political factors are much more dynamic. Chinese leaders have to pay more attention on the latter.

20. Brexit and the future The role of the EU in the era of Brexit
My interview:
Without the EU, the role of single Europe country is less important than, for example, India, North Korea, or even Australia

21. “new axis in world affairs”?
The EU-China ties are forming a “new axis in world affairs” (Shambaugh, 2004) and posing strong challenge to American national interests and the American-led unipolar world (Gill and Murphy, 2008; Kerr and Liu, 2005; Scott, 2007; Shambaugh, ).
Not really:
The EU-China tie is indeed conditional on the development of Sino-US relations.
The limited role of the EU in China’s policy discussion and China’s attention on the US

22. Twitter: @Jinghan_Zeng Weibo: Dr曾敬涵
Q & A
Related articles:
Jinghan Zeng, Does Europe matter? The role of Europe in Chinese Narratives of One Belt One Road and New Type of Great Power Relations JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies, 2017 published online
Jinghan Zeng and Shaun Breslin, China’s new type of great power relationship: moving toward “G2” with Chinese characteristics? , International Affairs, Vol.92, No.4
Jinghan Zeng, Constructing new type of great power relations: the state of debate in China ( ), British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Vol. 18, No.2, May 2016
Weibo: Dr曾敬涵