May 17, 2012
Europe’s Relations with China: Lost in Flight?
Europe has undergone a painful policy reevaluation of its long-standing approach to China. The premises of its China policy – engagement of a developing economy and a helping hand to a wider societal transition – were out of date. During the public diplomacy skirmishes of 2008-2009, a new realist mood set in at the level of the European Union. The larger member states had experienced the futility of a go-it-alone policy towards China, which only served the ability of China to divide-and-rule. But as this shift to realism was taking place, a new development intervened: with the global financial crisis of 2008, and the resulting stress on public debt in many European member states, China became for the first time a provider of commercial and financial opportunity to Europe. This is potentially creating some of the fabled synergy that has existed in the Sino-US relationship. But Europe, unlike the US, does not have a federal system. How Europe can achieve the level playing field it is seeking in its relationship with China is fast moving beyond a European foreign policy issue – it is beginning to call into question the very construction of the European Union itself.
In this timely session François Godement will present his Transatlantic Academy Paper: “Europe’s Relations with China – Lost in Flight?” Dan Twining, Senior Fellow for Asia at the Germna Marshall Fund will provide commentary and Stephen Szabo, Transatlantic Academy Executive Director, will moderate. This seminar will take place at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, 2011. Lunch will be served. We hope you can join us.
