Europe’s “China obsession”

Warm reception of Chinese President Xi Jinping (last year) by British royals and politicians, which was followed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande’s visit to China (same year), reflects how European states are competing among themselves to benefit from China’s growing economic might

China has been successful throughout the last one decade in conducting its trade and military diplomacy, manoeuvring international relations in its favour and holding onto the attention of the global audiences all through. Throughout the decade, the conventional and social media all over the globe have been dominated by China’s political, diplomatic and security stunts, from showcasing of its military muscle, to the Belt & Road initiative, the BRICS (alliance among Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa), the AIIB (Asian Infrastructural Investment Bank), the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization), to making Europe obsessed towards itself (China).

Europe’s latest “China obsession” has been something out of the ordinary regarding China’s international relations that surprised the academics, analysts, columnists, diplomats and politicians across the globe. Such obsession was visible in a number of cases: (i) Britain, France, Germany and Italy’s memberships in the AIIB, (ii) Chinese President’s last visit to Britain, (iii) German & French heads of state’s visit to China last year, and (iv) deals, which were important and worth billions of dollars, were made during the abovementioned visits.
The hastened memberships of the US’s important European allies, namely Britain, France, Germany and Italy, in the newly formed China-led AIIB came as surprise. The AIIB, which is largely viewed as China’s response to the limited role allowed to it in the World Bank and the likes, is a China-led global financial organization where the US’s important European allies have essentially ditched the US.
Before establishment of the AIIB, the US had feared that the impact of the China-led AIIB would negatively impact the contemporary global economic system, which has been dominated by the US since the end of the Second World War through World Bank (WB), Asian Deve­lopment Bank (ADB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF), and this dominance remained unchallenged since the end of the cold war. That is why, the US politicians and diplomats spent a lot of time on lobbying with its allies to restrain them from joining the AIIB. To the disappointment of the US, the AIIB was established with more than 50 founding members, where US’s close European allies like Britain, France, Germany & Italy happen to be the founding members. This, undoubtedly, is a great achievement on the part of China and a great triumph over its global rival the US. Such a move by the US’s important European allies clearly portrays that the European states are wary of US’s continuation as a global economic power in confronting China, which is perhaps perceived positively by the Europeans in terms of economy.
There are more to Europe’s “China obsession”. Warm reception of Chinese President Xi Jinping (last year) by British royals and politicians, which was followed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande’s visit to China (same year), reflect how European states are competing among themselves to benefit from China’s growing economic might. Britain, Germany and France have well understood the scope of the China’s growing global influence and the enormous opportunities that close relations with China will bring about for businesses in Britain, Germany and France— both as individual states and as part of the European Union (EU). Moreover, these European states perhaps also understood well that the “One Belt, One Road” initiative of China, which is aimed at more closely integrating Europe & Asia via land & maritime infrastructures, would enhance economic growth and development of those states that are associated with the initiative.
Because of the Brexit episode, it was Britain which felt the importance of relations with China more than any other EU member states. The state-banquet arranged in Buckingham Palace in honour of President Xi, during his visit in October 2015, reflects China’s importance to Britain. Not all heads of state are honoured with such banquets. British government proclaimed that Britain is “China’s best partner in the West” and a “golden era” in British-China relations had opened. During Xi’s visit to Britain, more than £30 billion worth of commercial deals were agreed upon, spanning a wide range of important sectors, such as energy, retail, financial services, aerospace, healthcare, transport, education, the creative industries, etc. 
After the British episode, the French and German heads of state visited China. While economic cooperation agreements sealed during Merkel's visit (late October 2015) amounted to a total of around 20 billion Euros, around 17 documents were signed (early November 2015) between Chinese and French government bodies, institutes and companies in order to enhance cooperation in vital areas including nuclear energy, aerospace and electricity. 
Clearly three of these US allies have been engaged in an unprecedented competition with each other in order to win over favour from China, causing frustration and anger for the US, which is China’s major global rival. These European states have been literally appearing to be appeasing China with the expectation of gaining from greater cooperation with this economic powerhouse of Asia. No doubt, China’s leadership must be enjoying such comforting scenario ‘for the time being’.
Perhaps, the non-interference, non-interventionist and peaceful image of China has been few of the many factors that allowed the Europeans to come into comfort with the Chinese, while Europe is yet militarily occupied by the NATO-machinery mainly dominated by the US. In its attempt of developing closer economic ties with other countries, China has always attempted to portray itself a peaceful economic power with largely a non-interference and non-interventionist approach towards other countries. It is worth mentioning that Chinese troops, which numbered 6.27 million in October 1949, have been reduced to 2.3 million currently. There is no other country that has made so many reductions in number of troops on such large scales, depicting China’s non-offensive intent towards other sovereign countries. President Xi, during 2015’s mega event of Victory Day Parade in China, announced to further reduce the Chinese military force by more than 10 percent (from 2.3 to 2 million). The promised reduction from President Xi, alongwith the series of reductions that took place regularly from 1949,  have proven wrong the so-called "China Threat" theory which is being hyped every now and then by the international, particularly the US,  media. Indeed, the decision to reduce the troops depicts that China neither have any interest in scheming against its neighbours nor have any hegemonic & imperial vision that would harm the interests of other countries far away from its shores, including of those in Europe. Such a scenario have surely given the political elites, both within EU setup and within each of its individual member state, a sense of comfort in improving and increasing their relations with China, especially with regard to trade-&-investment.
Throughout 2015 & 2016, China’s unruffled moves of limiting itself to only condemning and protesting in press-conferences, which has been made in response to the US’s highly provocative and inflammatory conducts (sending ships & aircrafts near disputed areas to challenge Chinese claims over the territory) against China in South China Sea, shows that so far China preferred to refrain itself from heating up the situation. This surely reflects China’s resolve to maintain a foreign policy posture that is peaceful and calm towards others, even towards its rivals. Such a foreign policy posture has surely been one of the many reasons that attracted Europeans towards China.
China has been truly spending a busy decade in terms of its international relations. China’s decade-long activities reflect China’s increased political sphere of influence in global stage, richness in handling economic & military diplomacy, intention to uphold peace, and ability to design & work for implementation of mega initiatives. During last one decade, China emerged as a top player in today’s global geopolitics and international relations. However, although the decade belongs to China, it is the US which is still comparatively the strongest country on our planet – economically, diplomatically and militarily. Although China is yet to takeover the comprehensive global roles of its global rival the US, there is no denial of the fact that gradual erosion of the US supremacy over the world has been creating scopes for China in global stage and has allowed China to manoeuvre well in international relations during last one decade, resulting in European states’ growing obsession (abovementioned) to China.
 
The writer, a law-based researcher and an international affairs columnist, teaches law at DCLE 
(Centre of University of London)

Europes “China obsession”

Warm reception of Chinese President Xi Jinping (last year) by British royals and politicians, which was followed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollandes visit to China (same year), reflects how European states are competing among themselves to benefit from Chinas growing economic might

China has been successful throughout the last one decade in conducting its trade and military diplomacy, manoeuvring international relations in its favour and holding onto the attention of the global audiences all through. Throughout the decade, the conventional and social media all over the globe have been dominated by Chinas political, diplomatic and security stunts, from showcasing of its military muscle, to the Belt Road initiative, the BRICS (alliance among Brazil, Russia, India, China South Africa), the AIIB (Asian Infrastructural Investment Bank), the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization), to making Europe obsessed towards itself (China). Europes latest China obsession has been something out of the ordinary regarding Chinas international relations that surprised the academics, analysts, columnists, diplomats and politicians across the globe. Such obsession was visible in a number of cases: (i) Britain, France, Germany and Italys memberships in the AIIB, (ii) Chinese Presidents last visit to Britain, (iii) German French heads of states visit to China last year, and (iv) deals, which were important and worth billions of dollars, were made during the abovementioned visits. The hastened memberships of the USs important European allies, namely Britain, France, Germany and Italy, in the newly formed China-led AIIB came as surprise. The AIIB, which is largely viewed as Chinas response to the limited role allowed to it in the World Bank and the likes, is a China-led global financial organization where the USs important European allies have essentially ditched the US. Before establishment of the AIIB, the US had feared that the impact of the China-led AIIB would negatively impact the contemporary global economic system, which has been dominated by the US since the end of the Second World War through World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF), and this dominance remained unchallenged since the end of the cold war. That is why, the US politicians and diplomats spent a lot of time on lobbying with its allies to restrain them from joining the AIIB. To the disappointment of the US, the AIIB was established with more than 50 founding members, where USs close European allies like Britain, France, Germany Italy happen to be the founding members. This, undoubtedly, is a great achievement on the part of China and a great triumph over its global rival the US. Such a move by the USs important European allies clearly portrays that the European states are wary of USs continuation as a global economic power in confronting China, which is perhaps perceived positively by the Europeans in terms of economy. There are more to Europes China obsession. Warm reception of Chinese President Xi Jinping (last year) by British royals and politicians, which was followed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollandes visit to China (same year), reflect how European states are competing among themselves to benefit from Chinas growing economic might. Britain, Germany and France have well understood the scope of the Chinas growing global influence and the enormous opportunities that close relations with China will bring about for businesses in Britain, Germany and France both as individual states and as part of the European Union (EU). Moreover, these European states perhaps also understood well that the One Belt, One Road initiative of China, which is aimed at more closely integrating Europe Asia via land maritime infrastructures, would enhance economic growth and development of those states that are associated with the initiative. Because of the Brexit episode, it was Britain which felt the importance of relations with China more than any other EU member states. The state-banquet arranged in Buckingham Palace in honour of President Xi, during his visit in October 2015, reflects Chinas importance to Britain. Not all heads of state are honoured with such banquets. British government proclaimed that Britain is Chinas best partner in the West and a golden era in British-China relations had opened. During Xis visit to Britain, more than 30 billion worth of commercial deals were agreed upon, spanning a wide range of important sectors, such as energy, retail, financial services, aerospace, healthcare, transport, education, the creative industries, etc. After the British episode, the French and German heads of state visited China. While economic cooperation agreements sealed during Merkels visit (late October 2015) amounted to a total of around 20 billion Euros, around 17 documents were signed (early November 2015) between Chinese and French government bodies, institutes and companies in order to enhance cooperation in vital areas including nuclear energy, aerospace and electricity. Clearly three of these US allies have been engaged in an unprecedented competition with each other in order to win over favour from China, causing frustration and anger for the US, which is Chinas major global rival. These European states have been literally appearing to be appeasing China with the expectation of gaining from greater cooperation with this economic powerhouse of Asia. No doubt, Chinas leadership must be enjoying such comforting scenario for the time being. Perhaps, the non-interference, non-interventionist and peaceful image of China has been few of the many factors that allowed the Europeans to come into comfort with the Chinese, while Europe is yet militarily occupied by the NATO-machinery mainly dominated by the US. In its attempt of developing closer economic ties with other countries, China has always attempted to portray itself a peaceful economic power with largely a non-interference and non-interventionist approach towards other countries. It is worth mentioning that Chinese troops, which numbered 6.27 million in October 1949, have been reduced to 2.3 million currently. There is no other country that has made so many reductions in number of troops on such large scales, depicting Chinas non-offensive intent towards other sovereign countries. President Xi, during 2015s mega event of Victory Day Parade in China, announced to further reduce the Chinese military force by more than 10 percent (from 2.3 to 2 million). The promised reduction from President Xi, alongwith the series of reductions that took place regularly from 1949, have proven wrong the so-called China Threat theory which is being hyped every now and then by the international, particularly the US, media. Indeed, the decision to reduce the troops depicts that China neither have any interest in scheming against its neighbours nor have any hegemonic imperial vision that would harm the interests of other countries far away from its shores, including of those in Europe. Such a scenario have surely given the political elites, both within EU setup and within each of its individual member state, a sense of comfort in improving and increasing their relations with China, especially with regard to trade--investment. Throughout 2015 2016, Chinas unruffled moves of limiting itself to only condemning and protesting in press-conferences, which has been made in response to the USs highly provocative and inflammatory conducts (sending ships aircrafts near disputed areas to challenge Chinese claims over the territory) against China in South China Sea, shows that so far China preferred to refrain itself from heating up the situation. This surely reflects Chinas resolve to maintain a foreign policy posture that is peaceful and calm towards others, even towards its rivals. Such a foreign policy posture has surely been one of the many reasons that attracted Europeans towards China. China has been truly spending a busy decade in terms of its international relations. Chinas decade-long activities reflect Chinas increased political sphere of influence in global stage, richness in handling economic military diplomacy, intention to uphold peace, and ability to design work for implementation of mega initiatives. During last one decade, China emerged as a top player in todays global geopolitics and international relations. However, although the decade belongs to China, it is the US which is still comparatively the strongest country on our planet economically, diplomatically and militarily. Although China is yet to takeover the comprehensive global roles of its global rival the US, there is no denial of the fact that gradual erosion of the US supremacy over the world has been creating scopes for China in global stage and has allowed China to manoeuvre well in international relations during last one decade, resulting in European states growing obsession (abovementioned) to China. The writer, a law-based researcher and an international affairs columnist, teaches law at DCLE (Centre of University of London)