CASS: Changing European Perspectives on China Bring

 Uncertainties to Sino-EU Relations

Foreign merchants at a textiles exhibition. Changing perspectives on China will bring uncertainties to bilateral relations.

    According to the European Development Report (2008-2009) jointly published by the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Chinese Association for European Studies (CAES), European perspectives on China have changed dramatically in recent times. Many Europeans are paying more attention to the challenges posed by China’s economic development, to competition between the EU and China, and China’s responsibilities in the development of Sino-EU relations. Researchers attributed shifts in attitude to the narrowing gap in economic power between China and the EU. Some Europeans believe that “China is taking the bread out of Europeans’ mouths,“ and that China has achieved its great economic development mainly by violating WTO regulations, infringing intellectual property rights, and lowering labor standards. In addition, China’s trade surplus with the EU is making Europeans feel increasingly anxious. It is believed changes to European perspectives on China will bring many uncertainties to Sino-EU relations in the future.