Is There A Strategic Partnership between the EU and China?

In: European foreign affairs review, Band 19, Heft Special Issue, S. 5-17

Abstract

Since 2003, both the EU and China have addressed each other as 'strategic partner', however, observers have noticed many problems in bilateral relations. As a matter of fact, after a short so-called honeymoon period in 2003 and 2004, the two experienced a long period of reflection and adjustment. Why are there many problems between the two? What is the nature of the EU-China partnership? What have the EU and China been doing to further develop cooperation? How will bilateral relationship evolve in the future? This article tries to find answers to these questions by examining the convergence and divergence between the two sides and to study the prospects for EU-China relations in the twenty-first century.