The EU as a foreign policy actor – should human rights really be promoted in China?

The EU promotes its norms and principles such as human rights in third countries too. This paper
conceptualizes the EU as a normative power and introduces its human rights policy and some
alternative understandings of human rights. The questions whether and at which price the EU
should promote human rights in China considering various points of conflict and if it can comply
with its role as a normative power in light of different restrictions are examined. Lastly, it is
analysed what this limited realizability implies for the EU's original claim and what an optimized
human rights policy may look like.

EU: EEAS: China http://eeas.europa.eu/china/index_en.htm

Human rights in non-EU countries http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/human_rights/human_rights_in_third_countries/index_en.htm

European Commission: DG Trade: Creating opportunities: Bilateral relations: Countries: China http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating-opportunities/bilateral-relations/countries/china/

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