Political values in Europe-China relations

Abstract:

Issues of democracy, human rights and the rule of law have long been a source of tension in Europe's relations with China, both in exchanges with China and between Europeans themselves. The European Union was built partly on the basis of common political values, but the Member States often disagree insofar as these values should be a central element of their respective relations with China. Moreover, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China has become increasingly critical of Western political values and has sought to position itself as a role model for other countries. In this context, the question of how to deal with political values in relations with China becomes even more relevant for Europe, as does the way in which China will try to promote its vision of political values in Europe.

Through an analysis of 16 EU member states, Norway and the EU as an institution, this report sets out to examine the role of political values in Europe-China relations, analysing how European actors approach political values in relations with China and how China, directly or indirectly, shapes the debate on these values in Europe.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: The role of political values in Europe-China relations | Tim Nicholas Rühlig, Björn Jerdén, John Seaman, Frans-Paul van der Putten, Miguel Otero-Iglesias and Alice Ekman
• Belgium’s multilayered China policy: A case of principled pragmatism? | Bruno Hellendorff
• The Czech Republic’s values-based policy towards China reconsidered | Rudolf Fürst
• Discreet diplomacy: Denmark’s pragmatic stance towards China | Andreas Bøje Forsby
• Political values in France-China relations, 2018: The start of a policy shift under Emmanuel Macron | Alice Ekman
• Germany’s promotion of liberal values vis-à-vis China: Adapting to new realities in political relations | Lucrezia Poggetti and Kristin Shi-Kupfer
• Sino-Greek relations: Marked by values or opportunism? | Plamen Tonchev
• Absent political values in a pragmatic Hungarian China policy | Tamas Matura
• Political values in Italy’s China policy: A “constructive approach” | Nicola Casarini, Lorenzo Mariani, and Fabio Angiolillo
• Latvia: A pragmatic approach without making significant Concessions to China | Una Aleksandra Bērziņa-Čerenkova and Māris Andžāns
• Human rights promotion and the changing role of political values in Netherlands-China relations | Frans-Paul van der Putten
• Political values in Norway’s relations with China: Standing ground or giving in? | Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr
• Poland’s modest approach to a values-based China policy | Justyna Szczudlik
• Portugal-China relations: Political values play second fiddle | Carlos Rodrigues
• Political values: A sensitive issue almost absent from Romania’s relations with China | Iulia Monica Oehler-Şincai
• Political values in Spain-China relations: Empathy, discretion and patience | Mario Esteban and Miguel Otero-Iglesias
• The prudent proponent Sweden’s normative China policy | Viking Bohman and Anna Michalski
• UK-China: Broadening the values agenda | Tim Summers
• Political values in EU-China relations: Towards a “principled” or a “pragmatic” approach? | Tim Nicholas Rühlig

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