Challenging the EU’s Economic Roles? The Impact of the Eurozone Crisis on EU Images in China

• Authors: Suet-Yi Lai , Li Zhang
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Since the outbreak of the 2008/2009 global financial crisis, the economic balance between the traditional developed economies and the emerging ones has changed drastically, including that between the European Union and China. While the EU and its Member States are preoccupied by the eurozone debt crisis, stagnant economic growth and high domestic unemployment, China raised as the world’s second largest economy and one of the quickest growing consumer market. This paper explores the change in perception of the EU as an economic actor in the eyes of Chinese mainstream news media and national elites under such context. It argues that the strategic partnership could improve only if the two sides understand the mutual perception clearly. It is found that China has increased its leverage for bargaining vis-à-vis the EU as well as the capacity to give some help to the EU. Although the image of the EU as an economic powerhouse has been slightly weakened, it did not turn the heavily trade-oriented EU-China relations more comprehensive.

Keywords

EN

elite interviews; EU-China economic relations; EU perception; eurozone debt crisis; media analysis

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: Baltic Journal of European Studies
• Year: 2013
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 13-36

Dates

published

2013-12-01

online

2013-12-31

Contributors

author

Suet-Yi Lai

• National Centre for Research on Europe University of Canterbury Kirkwood Village KD04, Christchurch, New Zealand

author

Li Zhang

• School of Political, Social and International Studies University of East Anglia Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK

References

• Chan, G. (1999), Chinese Perspectives on International Relations: A Framework for Analysis, New York: St. Martin’s Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9780230390201[Crossref]
• China (2003), “China’s EU Policy Paper,” Beijing: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, 13 October 2003.
• China Daily (2011), ‘China’s message to EU,’ China Daily, 27 June 2011, p. 8.
• EU Council Secretariat (2012), ‘Factsheet: EU relations with China, Beijing,’ 14
• February 2012. Retrieved from http://consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/NewsWord/EN/foraff/127836.doc [accessed 20 May 2012]
• European Commission (1995), ‘A Long Term Policy for China-Europe Relations,’ Communication from the Commission, COM(1995) 279 final, Brussels, 5 July 1995.
• - (1998), ‘Building a Comprehensive Partnership with China,’ Communication from the Commission, COM(1998) 181 final, Brussels, 25 March 1998.
• - (2003), ‘A Maturing Partnership - Shared Interests and Challenges in EU-China Relations,’ Commission Policy Paper for transmission to the Council and the European Parliament, COM(2003) 533 final, Brussels, 10 September 2003.
• The Financial Times (2011a), ‘Dough boat to China,’ LEX Column, The Financial Times, 29 October 2011, p. 16.
• - (2011b), ‘China and the EFSF,’ LEX Column, The Financial Times, 4 November 2011, p. 14.
• Hille, K. & Anderlini, J. (2012), ‘China reviews its EU crisis role,’ The Financial Times, 3 February 2012, p. 2.
• Hu, Y.-W. (2010), Management of China’s foreign exchange reserve: a case study on the state administration of foreign exchange (SAFE), European Economy - Economic Papers, no. 421 (July 2010), Brussels: European Commission.
• Holland, M. et al., eds. (2007), The EU through the Eyes of Asia, Warsaw & Singapore: University of Warsaw.
• Holland, M. & Chaban, N., eds. (2010), Reflections from Asia and Europe: How do we perceive one another? Special issue of Asia Europe Journal, vol. 8, no. 2.
• Jervis, R. (1976), Perception and Misperception in International Politics, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
• Li, Z. (2012), ‘What China wants in 2012,’ Project Syndicate, 12 January 2012. Retrieved from www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/what-china-wantsin-2012 [accessed 1 May 2012]
• Men, J. (2006), ‘Chinese perceptions of the European Union: A review of leading Chinese journals,’ European Law Journal, vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 788-806. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0386.2006.00346.x [Crossref]
• Milne, R. (2011), ‘Good news from China is not all it seems for bonds,’ The Financial Times, 4 September 2011.
• Ng, T. (2011), “Premier on EU mission to boost trade China unlikely to be Europe’s saviour, although Wen will promote investment on continent,” South China Morning Post, 25 June 2011.
• Ruggie, J. G. (1988), ‘What Makes the World Hang Together? Neo-utilitarianism and the Social Constructivist Challenge,’ International Organization, vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 855-885. http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/002081898550770 [Crossref]
• The Financial Times (2011a), ‘Dough boat to China,’ LEX Column, The Financial Times, 29 October 2011, p. 16. -- (2011b), ‘China and the EFSF,’ LEX Column, The Financial Times, 4 November 2011, p. 14.
• Shambaugh, D. (2008), ‘China eyes Europe in the world: Real convergence or cognitive dissonance?’ in D. Shambaugh, E. Sandschneider & H. Zhou (eds.) China-Europe Relations: Perceptions, policies and prospects, London: Routledge, pp. 127-147.
• Wang, J. (2005) “China’s Multilateral Diplomacy in the New Millennium,” in Y. Deng, & F.-L. Wang (eds.) China Rising: Power and Motivation in Chinese Foreign Policy, Lanham & Oxford: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, pp. 159-200.
• Wang, L. (2011a), “No good sign in the new year: ‘Titanic tragedy’ reappear - Euro zone may be turned over by the second round of crisis” [新年没有好兆头， “泰坦尼克”悲剧重演 第二轮危机或砸沉欧元区], International Finance News, 4 January 2011, p. 4.
• - (2011b), ‘Japan: To safe Euro, count me in!’ [日本: 救欧元，算上我！], International Finance News, 12 January 2011, p. 4.
• Wendt, A. (1992), ‘Anarchy is what states make of it: the social construction of power politics,’ International Organization, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 391-425. [Crossref]
• - (1994), ‘Collective Identity Formation and the International State,’ American Political Science Review, vol. 88, no. 2, pp. 384-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2944711[Crossref]
• Wu, C.; Ding, G. & Ji, P. (2011), ‘Greek government passed confidence vote, good news for Asian financial market,’ [希腊政府通过信任投票对亚洲金融界来说是 利好消息 欧债危机对亚洲经济负面影响有限], People’s Daily, 23 June 2011.
• Zhang, L. (2011), News Media and EU-China Relations, New York: Palgrave Macmillan. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9780230118638[Crossref]
• Zhou, W. (2011), ‘Cooperate for better future,’ China Daily, 27 June 2011, p. 8.
• Zhu, L. (2008), ‘Chinese perceptions of the EU and the China-Europe relationship,’ in D. Shambaugh, E. Sandschneider & H. Zhou (eds.) China-Europe Relations: Perceptions, policies and prospects, London: Routledge, pp. 148-173.

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/bjes-2013-0019