Beijing unimpressed by European scene

As the Chinese government plane began its final approach in the cloudy skies over Brussels, Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping was probably wondering why he was bothering with his visit in the first place. After all, his time should be taken up with more important considerations, like oil, mining reserves, and strategic consultations on economic stability. He could hardly expect to make progress on delicate diplomatic issues like Iran or North Korea in a country like Belgium, and no one had taken the trouble to organize even a small EU summit. So what was the point in coming? To visit a museum! No doubt, he consoled himself with the thought that the Belgians were interested in developing their diamond business, and that they did have a large port somewhere. But who was he supposed to meet? Herman Van Rompuy? In Europe, it is so hard to remember who is a president, and who is a prime minister. And is that the national airport? They could certainly do with a good Chinese construction company here…

A hundred years ago, the Chinese were ready to roll out the red carpet for Belgian investors, who were eager to gain access to Chinese natural resources, and to turn a quick profit on infrastructure projects. Today, they do not even take the trouble to consult the EU on important issues like nuclear proliferation, stability in Africa or the reform of international institutions. There are numerous official forums, which are supposed to facilitate dialogue between Europe and China, but the debates they hold are lacking in content and invariably fail to establish a consensus. It is not as if the People's Republic does not want to establish strategic partnerships, but its leaders are not convinced that Europe can play a significant role.

No global economic cooperation with the EU 27

Brussels prefers to focus on economic cooperation. The EU is China's main export market and its main source of technological expertise. But in spite of its economic weight, it appears to have no political traction with the world's most populous country. The reason for this state of affairs is relatively simple: whereas the EU's member states are willing to acknowledge the authority of the European Commission on issues regarding trade with China, they are reluctant to commit to a common position which would enable Europe to negotiate a comprehensive EU-China economic cooperation agreement. Europe's major capitals prefer to exert exclusive control over their research and investment in the People's Republic, and this has enabled Beijing to play them off against each other as it pleases.

At the same time, Chinese experts and civil servants complain that the EU is incapable of tackling the economic crisis and unwilling to invest in innovation: the knowledge economy has been allowed to stagnate, while shortsighted political leaders appear to be solely concerned with protecting jobs. In view of this context, the Chinese increasingly take the view that Europe will eventually have no other choice but to protect its markets against international competition.

For China, Europe is a museum

The consensus in the EU is that Europe remains a world leader in terms of social policy and sustainable development. But this opinion is not shared by a study currently being conducted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), which shows that Chinese decision makers are now less likely to view Europe as a model or example to be emulated. This shift in outlook is in part explained by the fact that increasing numbers of Chinese are visiting Europe, only to find that the reality in European cities falls far short of the ideals espoused by European governments. Many of them have remarked on the apparent discrepancy between European criticism of Chinese policy in Tibet, and the ethnic segregation and urban decay they see in Europe.

Chinese experts are also wondering about the continued viability of the European social model in the light of the significant weaknesses in Europe's economy. Ding Chun, a renowned professor from Shanghai, recently remarked that Europe's social security culture is a hindrance to social mobility, which will be necessary for the implementation of reforms. At the same time, he believes that it has also limited Europeans' awareness of the fact that the sources of their wealth are slowly drying up.

For the Chinese, Europe is not only remarkable for its beautiful museums, but also for its refusal to ignore contemporary realities, which may mean that it will shortly become a museum-piece itself. On this basis, they argue that Europe has already been sidelined in the imminent power game that will be played out to re-organize global relations. Of course, this does not mean that new powers, like China, are not experiencing internal difficulties. The foundations of China's economic boom are not as solid as they may appear, and the political modernization of the country has been slow to move forward. But uncertainties like these are precisely what motivates major powers to energetically defend their interests, and they should also motivate Europe to do better in the future.