This book closely scrutinizes the individual and collective roles played by China, the EU and the USA in contemporary world politics. Examining the three actors’ respective strategic and policy positions on and behaviour towards the flux of the contemporary global order, the analysis focuses on three major issues and challenges: foreign and security policy; economics and trade; and climate change and energy. Discussing their relative power, as well as their interests, beliefs and positions on a set of decisive issues, this book explores bilateral relations between the three powers and the ways in which they may interact trilaterally in a broader global context to shape international politics. Written by a stellar line-up of experts from the fields of politics and international relations, The Evolving Relationship between China, the EU and the USA will be of huge interest to students and scholars from within these fields, as well as policy-makers and practitioners more generally.

Relations between the European Union and China have grown at a sustained pace across the board in recent times, transforming the relationship from one of previous neglect into a matter of global strategic significance. This book offers an examination of the evolution of contemporary EU-China relations in the economic, technological and high politics dimensions, including implications of the high-tech and security-related elements of the relationship (space and satellite navigation cooperation; advanced technology transfers; arms sales, including the proposal to lift the EU arms embargo on China) for the United States and its East Asian allies. The analysis of EU-China relations is placed in the context of evolving dynamics in transatlantic relations on the one hand, and East Asia's major powers' changing security perceptions on the other. With this approach, this study intends to provide the reader with a better understanding of the global significance acquired by Sino-European relations, while also raising the question as to whether, and to what extent, the promotion of EU space and defence interests in China has made the EU a novel strategic factor in East Asia. This book contributes to current debates on the emerging global order, including discussions of how European and Chinese policy makers would perceive the post-Cold War international system, evaluate the place and role of their countries in it, and appraise the policies to be adopted to maintain global competitiveness in key strategic industrial sectors and increase political autonomy in an international environment characterised by US primacy.

This book draws together leading experts to examine the key issues in China-EU relations. China-EU relations are increasingly complex and affected by a number of inter-related factors, such as China’s global rise, growing China-US strategic competition, US global withdrawal, the transatlantic split, the China-Russia comprehensive "alliance," and Brexit. The book highlights the struggles of both China and the EU to look for a dynamic and durable mode of engagement in an attempt to achieve the balance between opportunities and challenges, and between partnership and rivalry. International contributors explore how to conceptualise China-EU relations and identify their differences and commonalities such as the EU’s role in China’s foreign policy process and how the EU works with China as a strategic partner. Finally, it analyses China’s and the EU’s perceptions of their own present and future roles. Shedding light on the perspectives of understanding and change in China-EU relations and its impact on multilateralism, it will appeal to researchers and professionals working in International Relations, International Political Economy and area studies who are interested in the rise of emerging powers and the changing world order.

This book examines the changing dynamics of power in the international arena since the end of the Cold War. Brown engages in analysis of how the United States and the European Union have responded to the so-called rise of China through an examination of how policymakers’ perceptions of China have changed over time and influenced their policy choices. This study undertakes rigorous analysis of how these perceptions have evolved between 1989 and 20092016, offering a comparative perspective on the similarities and differences between the policy discourse and behaviour within these two Western powers. Brown argues that ‘China’s rise’ is a contested notion, with varied perceptions of how the implications of China’s ascendancy have shaped policy preferences in ways that are inconsistent with concerns over the threat of an impending power-transition. Combining concepts and methods derived from IR and FPA, the book examines the linkages between great power politics and policymakers’ competing interpretations of key international actors, and their influence upon foreign policies. The main objective of the study is to illuminate the different ways in which the US and the EU have responded to the rise of China through a close analysis of their decision-making processes and outcomes across a series of key encounters and events, including the transatlantic debate over the EU’s proposal to lift its China arms embargo (2003-2005). Undertaking qualitative analysis of the development of American and European policymakers’ perceptions of China, this book will be of interest to graduates and scholars of post-Cold War international politics, Foreign Policy Analysis, policymaking, US-China relations and EU-China relations.

This title offers an examination of the evolution of contemporary EU-China relations in the economic, technological, and high politics dimensions, including implications of the high-tech and security-related elements of this relationship.

'While there is a wealth of writing on Sino-US relations and a growing body of work on interactions between Europe and China, it is much rarer to find studies that triangulate these different sets of relationships. Through a series of issue-based case studies, this volume unpacks the different layers of this triangular relationship, showing where interests coincide and diverge. The result is not a single relationship, but a patchwork of different sets of power configurations depending on the issue at hand.' - Shaun Breslin, University of Warwick, UK 'This book presents a novel, remarkably informative analysis of the implications of the rise of China in world politics and Sino-US-EU relations in different contexts. Its triangular approach and focus on the emerging post-financial crisis period ensure that it will help to set the agenda for future research on the G2 or G3 in a world of 'messy multilateralism'. It is certain to be essential reading for anyone interested in China or EU-US-China relations.' - Francis Snyder, Peking University School of Transnational Law, China, LSE, UK and College of Europe, Belgium The interaction between the EU, the US and China is of particular importance to the formation of the international order in the 21st century. This book focuses on the latest developments and examines how critical the interactions between these three players are to future global governance. Jing Men, Wei Shen and their carefully selected contributors explore how China's ascending role is contrasted with the seemingly declining influence of the US and the EU, and challenges the existing power configuration in the global order. They examine how China's growth and future development trajectory will be a key factor, and why it is still hesitant to the responsibilities it should assume in global governance. The book argues that in order to fully construct a working and productive triangle relationship between the EU, the US and China, thus establishing an effective political and economic global leadership, both economic and trade cooperation, and more importantly, strategic thinking on global responsibilities should be developed among the three players. This book will appeal to researchers, professors and students of international and comparative politics, as well as international relations. It will also be of interest to officials working within international organizations or national ministries, in addition to anyone who has a general interest in international affairs. Contributors: S. Finamore, D.-Y. Kao, G. Marlier, J. Men, M. Otero-Iglesias, R. Pacheco Pardo, W. Shen, M. Smith, H. Zhang, X. Zhang, S. Zhao

In this edited volume, a set of issue and country experts tackle questions regarding China’s current rise to power within the current international economic and political order. The current international system is governed by a “Western” conception of order and based on the primacy of post–World War II rules, drawn from liberal models of capitalism and democracy practiced in the US and in Western Europe. In this context, the most important and most uncertain questions facing the West over the next decade concern how the EU and the US will respond to China’s rapid growth. Will the transatlantic relationship hold and become stronger, faced with this new economic and geopolitical challenge? Or will the US and the EU—an increasingly prominent global player—compete for economic and political advantage? After a brief introduction laying out the circumstances of China’s economic and political rise and the challenges that this poses to the existing international order, the book proceeds in three sections. The first section provides competing theoretical perspectives on China’s rise in a historical context. The second section provides a distinctly Chinese perspective on China’s current rise. The third section looks at responses from the United States and the European Union, focusing on both economic and security issues as well as the implications of China’s rise for US-EU relations. This book is relevant to both scholars and policymakers concerned with Chinese domestic politics and foreign policy, US foreign policy, EU foreign policy, China-US relations, China-EU relations, international security, international political economy and emerging markets.