CAI is DOA

Asia Europe Journal - The Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) that was borne but not formally blessed by China and the European Union in late December 2020 is unlikely to survive in its...     

Harmonisation: how is the orchestra conducted?

Harmonisation of donor efforts is one of the current buzzwords in the world of official aid. However, while it is an attractive idea in theory, as long as donors do not recognise and address the operations of power in the aid relationship, harmonisation is likely to be counterproductive in promoting locally initiated responses to development challenges.     

The Clash in Public Opinion between Europe and China： What, How and Why

Recent years have seen a tension between Europe and China in public opinion, which began in 2006 and climaxed in 2008 when the Tibet riots and the Beijing Olympics put China under the global spotlight. Europeans and Chinese view each other more negatively than in ＂the good old days＂ and there is a growing perception gap regarding the Chinese government. The media （including the Internet） and public opinion leaders （scholars, human rights activists, dissidents, politicians and diplomats） have played a part in causing this both in Europe and in China, and this paper examines their roles. This paper also identifies three reasons behind the clash of viewpoints： First, lack of common values has exacerbated Europe＇s fear of a rising China; second, both Europe and China use this hostility to help redefine their self-identity; third, different development needs in China and Europe have nurtured very different mindsets. In the future, the European public＇s interest in China will continue to grow and Europe＇s and China＇s perceptions of each other will gradually stabilize. In the long run, whether Europe will accept a rising China depends on China＇s ability to develop a ＂Chinese thinking＂ which suits both China＇s and the world＇s development needs.     

The China effect in anxious Europe

The world economy is going through a testing time and Europe’s concerns are understandable. Much attention has been focused on the rise of Asia, especially the economic performance of China during the past decades. There seems to be anxiety about the loss of economic dynamism in the West when compared with the growing confidence in Asia. This essay surveys some of the reasons for anxiety, from those that are common to the global economy to those that arise specifically from the problem of China. It identifies the source as the perceived power shifts in the Pacific and Indian oceans that affect American interests and indirectly those of Europe. While future generations of Europeans need to know Asia better, this is no different from the need for Asians to understand the West, something Asians have been trying to do for over a century. There is no reason why Europeans cannot do that quickly and well.     

Publics and biobanks in China and Europe: a comparative perspective

We compare public perceptions of biobanks in China and in Europe, reporting similarities and differences in how publics in Europe and China view key issues in the realm of biobank research. Despite many differences in perception, the similarity in the perception of biobanks in China and in Europe is striking. Our research finds that Chinese with lower education levels are less concerned about privacy, while those with higher education levels have preferences in privacy protection that are similar to those in Europe. Transnational research is perceived positively in both regions, but specific historical experiences shape how people approach these issues. While Chinese publics focus on certain effects of international research on the Chinese state, Europeans are mainly concerned about data security and impacts on research. The study is based on 66 focus groups conducted in China (6) and Europe (60), with approximately 700 participants.     

Old Europe,New Europe and Transatlantic Relations

This article establishes the broader framework for the rest of the volume by addressing the contemporary context of transatlantic relations and secondly by establishing strategic culture as the conceptual tool for the collection. The article takes issue with realist/material explanations of recent transatlantic disputes, as posited, for example, by Rober Kagan, which tend to portray the transatlantic divide as the US on one side and Europe on the other. In fact Europe itself was very much divided over Iraq and the conduct of US foreign policy. Moreover, the sources of this division, manifest vividly in the notion of Old and New Europe, were based on cultural, historical as well as material factors and as such are best understood by invoking the concept of strategic culture.

Thoughtful Europeans know that Europe must unite in some form if it is to play a major role in the long run. They are aware, too, that Europe does not make even approximately the defense effort of which it is capable. But European unity is stymied and domestic politics has almost everywhere dominated security policy. The result is a massive frustration which expresses itself in special testiness toward the United States. (Henry Kissinger, 1969) ¹ 1 Henry A. Kissinger, American Foreign Policy: Three Essays, New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1969, p. 69. ¹The author is grateful to several anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on a previous draft.      

Building a strong nation, how does China perform in science and technology

A common perception is that China has relied on the expansion of labour-intensive industries and flooded the world market with cheap but low to medium level technology products. Although it has become the third largest exporting nation, China has failed to create a large number of big businesses that can compete with the world’s leading multinational companies (Nolan (2004)). The Chinese government has long been aware of the weakness of its development strategy and has been trying to improve its own technological capacity through investments in basic research, innovations and the application of new technologies, utility models and designs. China’s strategy on science and technology can be best described by the so-called ‘walking with two legs’ principle. The first leg is based on building up domestic research and innovative capacity. This is through investments in research institutes, universities and LMEs. China’s second leg has been to build up its technology capacity through its open policy and attracting FDI and technology. China has made significant advances in the following areas regarding science and technology.

Impressions about China

<正>In the Philippines, China is first introduced in grade school history classes. Our country and China have long been trading goods such as porcelain and silk even before we were occupied by the Spaniards, the Japanese, and later on, the North Americans. Trade between our countries has only grown stronger. Today, China is the Philippine’s largest import and export partner.     

Migrations toward Western Europe: trends,outlook, policies

Recent trends in international migration affecting Europe are reviewed. The author notes that since the 1970s, the pressure from migrants has shifted from northern to southern Europe. He concludes that the focus of future trends will be the Mediterranean region from northern Africa to southern Europe. The possible effect on migration of aid policies to developing countries is considered.     

CAI: Merkel’s choice

Asia Europe Journal -     

中国-东盟经贸中政府与企业的互动研究

一、中国—东盟经贸现状中国和东盟是友好近邻,近年来,中国—东盟关系日益密切。到了2005年,双方关系更是有新的进展,高层相互访问频繁,经济以及各个领域的交流合作进一步深化,双边经贸合作健康、持续地发展。目前,中国—东盟经贸合作已经进入全面深入发展的新阶段,随着中国—东盟自由贸易区全面降税正式启动,形成了良好的发展格局。现在,中国与东盟的双边贸易在我国对外贸易总额的比重不断上升。据商务部统计显示,中国与东盟贸易额在对外贸易总额中比重已经由1975年的3.55%上升到2005年1～11月的9.14%。中国与东盟全面启动降税计划一年来,…     

Mapping perception of China in Central and Eastern Europe

Asia Europe Journal - Since the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Global Financial Crisis, the rise of China has been a key topic in the international arena. Capitals in the USA and Western Europe, as...     

中欧伙伴关系的机遇与前景

近年来,随着国际形势的深刻变化,自1998年建立起来的中欧“建设性伙伴关系”出现了政治性、战略性、广泛性、理解和包容性和互利性等五大新特点。中欧合作机遇与挑战并存,但总体说来机遇大于挑战。 “中国因素”、 “欧盟因素”在双方对外关系中的作用越来越明显。展望未来,中欧伙伴关系地位将进一步得到提升,中欧将共同打造一个“战略合作模式”。     

Chief Minister of the Japanese Embassy in China,Noriyuki Shikata,talks about China and contemporary China-Japan relationship

正On July 6,Wen Desheng,editor of the magazine,interviewed Chief Minister,Noriyuki Shikata,of Japanese embassy in China.The interview mainly focused on the Chief Minister’s views on China