EU–China relations at a crossroads, Vol. I: Looking for a new modus vivendi

Summary:

The context of EU–China relations has dramatically changed over the past years. Mounting challenges and diverging perceptions on and approaches to global and domestic affairs risk undermining the effectiveness of the bilateral dialogue. It is crucial to minimise all misperceptions and overcome any lack of understanding in the EU–China bilateral relationship, now more than ever.

The EU & China Think-Tank Exchanges project, coordinated by the European Policy Centre (EPC) with the cooperation of The Royal Institute for International Relations (Egmont), the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) and the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), aims to strengthen and stimulate a dialogue between think tanks and research institutes across the EU and China. Over a period of three years, the EPC and its think tank partners encourage experts, analysts and policymakers from Europe and China to discuss issues of common interest, such as post-COVID-19 cooperation, climate action and the environment, the global economy, digitalisation and connectivity, human rights and peace, or security in international affairs.

Through a series of structured exchanges between intellectuals and strategic thinkers, the project promotes the EU–China dialogue and supports mutual understanding and joint action across several relevant and cross-cutting policy areas and issues of mutual concern. This first volume of a three-part collection gathers this analysis in a comprehensive compendium. It contains 12 input papers that provide the views of European and Chinese experts on a set of specific policy issues, from 2021 to 2022.

They not only provide a specialist view on the state of affairs in a given field but also offer a snapshot of the authors’ perceptions at a specific moment in time. The publication is, in this regard, an opportunity to review and reflect on how the EU–China relationship has developed over the last months. Each paper invites the reader to assess whether the policy recommendations are still relevant and if the international context of EU–China relations developed as the authors anticipated. In other words, it is an invitation to continue the conversation.

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