This book considers the effect of China’s unprecedented economic growth and more prominent geopolitical role in the twenty-first century. Rising powers considerably alter international relations, leading to the emergence of a multipolar world order that impacts more traditional international players like the European Union (EU). China’s growing economic and diplomatic influence is particularly relevant in Africa, where it presents an alternative to conventional North-South relations and proposes a new type of South-South partnership. Stahl examines the EU’s foreign policy response regarding China’s growing presence in Africa, as well as the EU’s attempts to refocus attention on the African continent. Drawing on a rich body of evidence collected through fieldwork in China and Africa, and extensive expert interviews, the author sheds light on the novel trend of EU-China-Africa trilateral relations. The book offers a new analytical framework for the study of the EU’s foreign policy of engagement with emerging powers and will appeal to graduate students and scholars interested in the EU’s international role, international relations and development, as well as contemporary Chinese and African studies.

三方合作是在传统的南北合作和南南合作基础上的创新合作模式，是沟通南南合作和南北合作的桥梁。此报告主要探讨中国、欧洲和非洲在国际发展合作（又称发展援助）领域的三方合作。三方合作早由欧洲援助国在2006年中非合作论坛北京峰会后提出，主要目的是将中国纳入欧美主导的国际体系，中国不得不被动应对压力。2014年以后，随着国际形势的变化，中国参与三方合作的政策空间发生了重大变化，中国由被动应对转变为积极参与，并主动提出“拓展第三方市场合作”的中国方案，中国在国际舞台和非洲事务上变得更加积极自信，这为中欧非的三方合作带来新的契机。中欧非三方合作经历了政府和政策层面的激辩、相对沉寂和重回政策制定者视野几个阶段。面对美国带来的逆全球化潮流和全球不确定局面，中欧非三方合作对中美和欧美关系博弈具有权重和砝码作用。中国和欧洲在非洲没有战略性的利益冲突，双方对非具体政策的分歧在缩小，且均有加强对非事务合作的意愿。此报告旨在介绍三方合作在政策实践层面的新进展，并通过三个具体的国别和行业案例（中英非安全合作、中德非职业教育合作、中欧非医疗合作）研讨三方合作面临的机遇和挑战，以弥补目前三方合作系统性研究的不足并提出政策建议。三方合作应摒弃意识形态之争，抓住新契机，从战略对接到具体政策合作层递推进，推动具体项目落地，从减贫和农业、公共卫生等争议较小、意义重大的领域开始，由易而难，循序渐进。

China's rise on the international scene over the past few years has correlated with its exponential economic growth. The European Union (EU), the world's largest development aid provider, has been feeling the heat of Beijing's closer ties with Africa. As a result, the EU's overall policy-making towards Africa has suffered from a loss of credibility and this has been further exposed both by the success of China's investments in Africa, and by the favourable response that China's investment proposals have received from African leaders. Dividing the book into five parts, the editors and an outstanding line up of Chinese and European contributors guide the reader through the complexities of China's rising influence in Africa, but they also analyse if and how the EU should adapt to this. "

In 2006, China published its first White Paper on African policy. This signaled China's ambition to play a greater role in Africa, with influence based on its great volume of foreign aid to African countries and extensive trade and investment activities. The European Union (EU), traditionally a major actor through a variety of policy instruments, including preferential trade, economic partnership agreements and official development aid, has gradually realized that China is to be a competitor, if not a threat, in exercising influence in Africa. The competition for influence and conflicts of interest between the EU and China in Africa seem inevitable, not only over geopolitics, but also regarding human rights protection, environmental concerns and energy security issues. The worries of European politicians, academics and civil society center on China's appetite for African resources, its human rights violations and environmental impacts. A widespread, albeit incomplete, perception is that as a result of fundamentally different values, there is a difference in approach between the EU and China: European conditionality versus Chinese non-interference. In this context, this chapter aims to compare the approaches of the EU and China toward African development policies, and to explore the feasibility of an EU-China-Africa trilateral relationship. It starts with a survey and critique of the existent regulatory frameworks and policy documents on African development policies, with an emphasis on trade preferences, economic partnership agreements and foreign aid, and looks to highlight the differences between the European and Chinese approaches. The chapter then examines the Commission communication entitled The EU, China and Africa: Towards Trilateral Dialogue and Cooperation, and explores the potential value and challenges of such a trilateral approach. A short conclusion summarizing the main findings and arguments of this chapter will be provided at the end.

This book reviews the background and evolving features of Sino-African relations, exploring various stages over the past 50 years. Pursuing an objective and forward-looking approach, it analyzes the development, current issues and future direction of Sino-African relations, as well as their global impact. Despite ideological and policy differences, it also outlines potential avenues of cooperation between China and western countries in promoting development in Africa. Potential means of adapting and improving China’s “going into Africa” policy in the post-crisis era are also discussed, highlighting the importance of enhancing soft power in Africa.

Introduction -- 1. Clashing norms between the EU and China in Africa -- 2. The conflict of interests between the EU and China in Africa -- 3. Trilateral dialogue, bilateral cooperation or unilateral socialisation? -- 4. The dilemma of socialisation -- Conclusion -- Annex.