EU-China Economic Diplomacy: When Economics Meets Politics

Abstract:

This article intends to understand the motivation, strategy and effects of the economic diplomacy exercised by the EU and China in their forty years-old relationship. The article examines the EU-China economic history which can be divided into four periods: the starting-up period (1975-1988), the 'Low Tide' Period (1989-1992), the 'Honeymoon' period (1993-2005), and the 'Turbulent' period (2006 till now).

The cases of economic diplomacy chosen here are those of strategic importance, i.e. which had a direct bearing on the overall development of EU-China relations, instead of the specific nitty-gritty negotiations of technical nature. The last part summarizes the characteristics of the EU's economic diplomacy in its long-time relationship with China.